BLAST takes CS:GO back to North America

Esports tournament organiser BLAST Premier has announced that the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) tournament BLAST Premier Spring Final will be held in the US capital Washington, DC. The tournament will be held at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in June 2023.

The announcement was made following an agreement between BLAST and Events DC and Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The Spring Final will be held between June 7 to 11, 2023, and will see the best CS:GO teams in the world fight for the BLAST Premier trophy. The tournament is set to have a prize pool of US$450,000 and the winner will get a direct entry to the BLAST World Final, which will be held in December 2023. The Spring Final will be an eight-team tournament and will have six teams qualify from the BLAST Premier Spring Groups, while the other two teams will be the winners of the regional Spring Showdown, which will be held in April.

Also read: Top 10: Greatest CS:GO Players of All Time

Charlotte Kenny, Managing Director for BLAST Premier, said:

“North America has some of Counter-Strike’s most passionate fans and talented players. We are delighted to be returning to the U.S. in June to host our first BLAST Premier arena event of 2023. BLAST is focused on uniting fans through their shared love of esports and providing them with first-class entertainment experiences. Washington, D.C. provides the perfect location to deliver on this ambition, where we are excited to be partnering with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Events DC to bring the Spring Final to a city with such a rich history of hosting leading sporting events.“

Angie M. Gates, President and CEO, Events DC, stated:

“The BLAST Premier Spring Final is a dynamic event to host at the Entertainment & Sports Arena. We welcome Counter-Strike fans to Washington, D.C., a growing hub for the global esports community. This partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and BLAST Premier gives Events DC the opportunity to showcase more experiences that engage, excite and entertain visitors from around the world.“

Zach Leonsis, President, Media and New Enterprises for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, added:

“Monumental Sports is thrilled to welcome the world-renowned BLAST competition, the elite Counter-Strike athletes and global fans with a showcase of our warm hospitality and incredible facilities. The Washington, D.C. region has so many die-hard esports fans and it is a market ripe for accelerated growth. Once long-term and new esports fans see the energy and excitement at District E this summer, we know that will catalyse that trajectory.“

The BLAST Spring Final will be the first major CS:GO tournament to be held in North America since the 2019 BLAST Pro Series, which was held in Los Angeles, California.