Just three weeks after San Jose, Intel Extreme Masters Cologne (December 18th – 21st 2014) kicks off in the German ESL Studios. Featuring a US$30,000 League of Legends® competition, the pro gaming tour will once again welcome the world’s best gamers to the European esports capital. The corresponding event in Season eight broke ESL viewership records.
The first Intel Extreme Masters event in 2015 will take place in Taipei, the leading esports country in Southeast Asia, with both StarCraft® II: Heart of the Swarm® and League of Legends® esports competition at the Taipei Game Show from January 28th – February 1st.
The season will conclude with the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship on March 12th – 15th, 2015 in the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland. This IEM stop will be attended by eight League of Legends teams from North America, Europe and Asia (including the winners of each stop) and the best StarCraft II players of the season. The event will have over $200,000 in prize money.
Michal Blicharz, Managing Director Pro Gaming at ESL, is looking forward to the next stops in season nine of IEM: "It's a massive milestone for us to go to two major sports arenas in one season. This is really shaping up to be the best Intel Extreme Masters season ever. I couldn't be more excited about the rest of the tour!"
“I am very excited to bring the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship back to Poland.” says George Woo, Event and Sponsorships Program Manager Intel. “The passion of Polish fans is unparalleled. They help elevate our events to a whole new level.”
Without a doubt, Katowice is the best place ever to hold the finals, last year was a tremendous experience and this year it's going to be ever better. Can't wait to see Flash in person!
On September 25 2014 00:33 Scoobers wrote: Without a doubt, Katowice is the best place ever to hold the finals, last year was a tremendous experience and this year it's going to be ever better. Can't wait to see Flash in person!
Scoobers <3
Sick news, maybe this time I'll finally have time and money to go to Katowice ^^
On September 25 2014 00:33 Scoobers wrote: Without a doubt, Katowice is the best place ever to hold the finals, last year was a tremendous experience and this year it's going to be ever better. Can't wait to beat Flash in person!
I noticed this year's SC2 tournament wasn't a huge local success added to the high cost of travel for everybody (ESL, International pros and local players) makes it not a viable destination i guess...
On September 25 2014 01:20 ivancype wrote: No IEM SP
I noticed this year's SC2 tournament wasn't a huge local success added to the high cost of travel for everybody (ESL, International pros and local players) makes it not a viable destination i guess...
I was thinking the same thing. Too bad, SP was my only chance to see esports live
One day I'm gonna pick my laptop and pack a few clothes and spend a year living at cheap hostels while chasing esport events around the world. #OneCanDream
On September 25 2014 01:20 ivancype wrote: No IEM SP
I noticed this year's SC2 tournament wasn't a huge local success added to the high cost of travel for everybody (ESL, International pros and local players) makes it not a viable destination i guess...
I was thinking the same thing. Too bad, SP was my only chance to see esports live
One day I'm gonna pick my laptop and pack a few clothes and spend a year living at cheap hostels while chasing esport events around the world. #OneCanDream
I'm pretty sure you would get fairly far with couchsurfing at fellow esport fans.
On September 25 2014 00:33 Scoobers wrote: Without a doubt, Katowice is the best place ever to hold the finals, last year was a tremendous experience and this year it's going to be ever better. Can't wait to beat Flash in person!
fix'd for u
I must say, if I got the chance to play flash, I would feel complete in sc2 player and coach-wise, afterrall, we all know who and why is winning this GSL
So funny how they are having big attractions in the pictures for San Jose and Taipei and just the arena for Katowice. Seems like there's not that much to see.
Still, last finals in Katowice have been great, so nothing against it.^^
It's not even that it would be, though it would and it's not IEM's job, but really another year with none of the likes of Dreamhack and IEM having a tournament IN Korea?
This looks pretty awesome. My only quibble is the phrase "...in Taipei, the leading esports country in Southeast Asia..." since I kindof thought South Korea counted as Southeast Asia. (I could be wrong.)
Looking forward to some great ESL productions though.
I'm so happy that IEM will be in Katowice again! I wasn't there before but I will do everything in my power to attend. I have to add my voice to our cheering Polish crowd
Last week Poland won World Championships in Volleyball. The finals were held in Spodek and there were over 40k fans gathered. We still need to work some more to get to that number
On September 25 2014 15:44 TW wrote: Spodek in Katowice although it has like 13k seats seems still a bit to small taking into account the interest
There's always the new, bigger arena opened in Kraków (70 km away for those not fluent in Poland geography). Though Spodek is something of a legend, I don't mind having the event in an objectively inferior venue if it has the reputation. And boy, it has it. It's called the temple of Polish volleyball - a sport that I play and love - with the crowning achievement of WC this year and many great matches before, including the first victory over Brazil (undisputed best team in the world for many years) in WL, IIRC.
EPT
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