Program

Stop by the Registration Center to obtain your EsportsTravel Summit badge, which you will need for all on-site and off-site functions at the EsportsTravel Summit. 

Kick off the EsportsTravel Summit with a welcome from Jason Gewirtz, the vice president of Northstar’s Sports Division, and dignitaries from Bloomington.

From the professional ranks to the grassroots, esports events are still evolving. Economic pressures have posed recent challenges for parts of the esports events industry but also provided new opportunities, as growth remains steady at the collegiate and amateur levels. In this opening discussion, hear from experts across the industry on how they view the in-person events landscape, the challenges and opportunities ahead for event organizers and destinations wanting to host events, and what the future holds for an industry that remains filled with potential.

In this rapid-fire session, hear firsthand from several esports event organizers on events for which they are seeking hosts, what direction their organizations are taking in the immediate future and what their vision of in-person events looks like in the years to come. 

The marketplace is open only to industry suppliers with marketplace tables and event organizers.

Bloomington, Minnesota, is a shining example of what a destination can do with their own unique assets when it comes to esports. From successful activations at the Mall of America to a grassroots gaming festival that attracts visitors from around the word, Bloomington has leaned into its ciivic treasures to plant a flag in the industry. In this session, hear from the key people involved in growing an esports strategy in the destination, lessons they’ve learned that could apply to your destination, and best practices from festival organizers that underscore Bloomington’s esports strategy.

For years, Convention, Sports & Leisure, International (CSL), has been surveying esports fans on their preferences and their willingness to travel. In this session, hear the exclusive results of their latest research. Among the questions we’ll answer: Which games do fans want to watch the most? What would make them travel to more events? How far are they willing to travel? What is the overall esports event landscape? Are the number of events trending up or down? What can your destination do to attract more esports events?

In 2024, Fort Worth, Texas, was the epicenter of professional esports. Over two consecutive weekends, the city’s Dickies Arena hosted the Fortnite World Championships followed by the Rocket League World Championships. Combined, the events drew participants from nearly every state and several countries from around the world. In this session, hear from the event’s organizers, BLAST, as well as representatives of the city as to what they expected from the event and what they experienced. You’ll also get the unique perspective of an esports fan and his father who traveled from out-of-state to attend the event.

The most prestigious medical organization in the world is also in esports. For years, the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic has been investing in the industry to help esports organizations train their players and ensure that their health and wellness needs are met. But it’s not just the professional teams that can benefit from their expertise. In this chat with one of the leading medical experts in esports, learn why the Mayo Clinic is focused on esports, how the organization is helping players and what your events need to know about how to offer the best medical attention possible for your participants.

For years, esports and traditional sports events have found ways to do more than co-exist. In the best-case scenario, they’ve been able to complement each other to one another’s benefit. One organization — Rally Cry — has found a way to make that kind of collaboration work. At its Championship Tour attached to high-profile college football games last season, organizers activated a mobile gaming truck to engage college students and gamers by allowing competition in the esports version of the action on the field. And in doing so, they are looking to partner more closely with destinations to find new ways of merging esports and traditional sports. In this chat, learn how your destination can think about activating esports at events you are already hosting or may host in the future.

For nearly 10 years, the Brawlhalla Championship Expo (BCX) has drawn top video gamers and fans to the Cobb Galleria Centre in Cobb County, Georgia, near Atlanta to compete, spectate and be part of one the most established grassroots esports experiences in the country — and one with international reach, attracting attendees from more than 30 countries. In this session, learn why the most recent competition event was named Cobb Sports Alliance Spot-On Event of the Year. Hear how the event has evolved and how organizers partner with the local sports commission to each other’s collective benefit.

The marketplace is open only to industry suppliers with marketplace tables and event organizers.

Continue the networking and enjoy some beverages with your fellow EsportsTravel Summit attendees at our world-famous Late-Night Lounge.

The DuPage Sports Commission in Illinois is doing something groundbreaking for a destination in esports: owning and operating its own collegiate invitational. Earlier this year, the second Midwest Battleground was held in the Chicago-area destination, attracting more than 40 college teams in an event that also included a high school and grassroots component. In this session, hear how the destination launched the event, lessons learned from the inaugural competition, how the event grew in its second year, challenges the event faced, opportunities it offered as well, and what your destination needs to know about launching your own esports event. 

The marketplace is open only to industry suppliers with marketplace tables and event organizers.

In our closing session, stay for lunch and receive a warm welcome to Cincinnati, host of the 2026 EsportsTravel Summit before settling in for our final session of the day.

In our closing keynote, get the honest take of where the esports industry is headed from the leader of one of the most established brands in esports — Gen.G CEO Arnold Hur. Operating from offices in Los Angeles, Seoul, and Shanghai, Gen.G's impact extends through teams, content creators and its groundbreaking Gen.G Global Academy, which has launched partnerships at the University of Kentucky and Syracuse University. In this discussion, hear how Hur’s organization is widening the esports lens, what challenges lie ahead and how they can be addressed, and how the industry can better leverage education and gaming to benefit future events.