# **Esports Tournament Organisers**
  
## These organisations plan, manage, and deliver **live and online esports events**, from local LAN parties to global stadium-sized championships.
  

### **ESL (Electronic Sports League)**

* **Founded**: 2000 (Germany)
* **Type**: Commercial
* **Now Owned By**: Savvy Games Group (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund)
* **What They Do**:

* One of the **largest esports companies** in the world.
* Runs leagues, tournaments, and pro circuits globally.
* **Famous Events**:

* **ESL One** – top-tier global tournaments (e.g., *CS\:GO*, *Dota 2*).
* **Intel Extreme Masters (IEM)** – huge international esports series.
* **Fun Fact**: ESL organised one of the **first esports events ever held in a football stadium** — IEM Katowice in Poland!

### **Gfinity**

* **Founded**: 2012 (UK)
* **Type**: Commercial
* **What They Do**:

* Organises esports events for companies, brands, and publishers.
* Provides broadcasting and event production services.
* **Famous Work**:

* **F1 Esports Series** – official esports competition for Formula 1.
* Worked with the **Premier League** to create **ePremier League** (*FIFA*).
* **Fun Fact**: Gfinity once had its own **esports arena** in London!

### **epic.LAN**

* **Founded**: 2003 (UK)
* **Type**: Not-for-profit / Community-focused
* **What They Do**:

* Organises **community-level LAN events** in the UK.
* Focus on grassroots gaming and semi-pro competition.
* **Famous For**:

* Hosting regular LAN parties where teams bring their own PCs.
* Featuring games like *CS\:GO*, *Valorant*, *Overwatch*, *Rocket League*.
* **Fun Fact**: At an epic.LAN event, attendees often **camp in sleeping bags next to their PCs** for the full gaming experience.

### **GAME/Insomnia Gaming Festival**

* **Insomnia (iSeries)**:

* Started in the **1990s** as a Quake LAN party.
* Now owned by **GAME** and held multiple times a year in Birmingham NEC.
* **What They Do**:

* Run massive **LAN festivals**, gaming expos, tournaments, cosplay, and more.
* Hosts both casual players and pro-level competitions.
* **Famous Moments**:

* UK qualifiers for games like *Overwatch*, *Fortnite*, and *League of Legends*.
* **Fun Fact**: It’s **the UK’s biggest gaming festival**, often drawing **20,000+** attendees!

## **Other Notable Tournament Organisers**

### **BLAST Premier**

* **Based**: Denmark
* **Famous For**: Top-tier *CS\:GO* events with cutting-edge production.
* **Known For**: Their flashy graphics, creative stage setups, and high-stakes matches.

### **PGL**

* **Based**: Romania
* **Known For**: Hosting *Dota 2* Majors and *CS\:GO* Majors.
* **Highlight**: PGL Stockholm Major 2021 – the first *CS\:GO* Major after COVID-19 lockdowns.


### **DreamHack**

* **Based**: Sweden
* **Known For**: Originally a LAN party, now a **global digital festival**.
* **Famous For**:

* Hosting esports, music, cosplay, and creative arts all in one space.
* Guinness World Record for **largest LAN party** (thousands of PCs).


## Summary Table

| Organisation | Type | Known For | Example Events |
| --------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| ESL | Commercial | Global pro tournaments | IEM, ESL One |
| Gfinity | Commercial | Brand-led leagues | F1 Esports, ePremier League |
| epic.LAN | Community | Grassroots LANs | epic35, epic36 etc. |
| Insomnia (GAME) | Commercial | UK’s biggest gaming festival | i70, i71 etc. |
| DreamHack | Commercial | Festival-style LANs | DreamHack Winter |
| BLAST | Commercial | Premier CS\:GO production | BLAST Premier |
| PGL | Commercial | High-level Dota & CS events | PGL Major Stockholm |


## Fun Extras

* Some players attend epic.LAN **just for the fun** and “bring your own computer” experience — not just to win.
* ESL has partnered with global brands like **Intel**, **Mercedes-Benz**, and **Red Bull** to fund huge prize pools.
* The **first ever LAN party** of Insomnia (i1) in 1999 had just a handful of players. Now it fills an entire convention centre!