Championship Gaming Series Draws 80,000 In China!

The Championship Gaming Series (CGS) last weekend drew more than 80,000 people to its Pan-Asian final in Wuhan, China, an event marking the formal opening of the Wuhan Optics Valley Electronics Sports Stadium, a 1,000-seat arena and training center developed specifically for the CGS and competitive video gaming. The regional competition, which will send teams from Wuhan and Sydney, Australia, to the league's global finals this summer, saw crowds grow to the point where free admission was administered on a rotating 30-minute timed basis. "The reaction we got simply blew us away," said CGS Commissioner Andy Reif. "This definitely more than met our expectations. But you look at where gaming is going, and where brand marketers want to be, and China is right there near or at the top of the list. This was a big step toward our becoming a true global sports property."