Events

MSE’s District E to host NHL esports competition

Featured image credit: District E Powered by Ticketmaster

District E Powered by Ticketmaster, a new multi-purpose live events venue next to Capital One Arena, has been awarded hosting rights to the EA Sports NHL 23 North American Championship esports event.

The event will take place at the Washington, D.C. venue on May 20. District E Powered by Ticketmaster is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and is also hosting the NBA 2K League season.

The EA Sports NHL 23 North American Championship will feature the top two players from each North American Console Final Generation 4 and Generation 5 competing for a first-place prize of $15,000 (£12,200/€14,000). The competition will consist of a best-of-one round-robin, with the final two players to face off in a best-of-three series.

The final two players will also advance to the NHL 23 World Championship on June 27 in Nashville, where they will face the winner and runner-up of the European Championship. The series is being produced by NHL 23 WC partner DreamHack Sports Games, a brand of the ESL FACEIT Group esports company.

MSE announced plans for District E Powered by Ticketmaster in January 2022. The space spans nearly 14,000 square feet and offers year-round immersive experiences in esports, music, event programming and community events.

District E Powered by Ticketmaster is located adjacent to Capital One Arena, home of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and NBA’s Washington Wizards, and will provide pre- and post-event activations for fans of the two teams. The venue’s public-facing esports competition studio will host over 200 events a year.

Chris Golier, the NHL’s vice-president of business development and technology partnerships, said: “We’re excited to bring the North American Championship to the brand-new esports facility, District E, in Washington, D.C.

“Knowing how the Washington Capitals and Monumental Sports have embraced esports, we are happy to partner with them on our North American Championship event. Their state-of-the-art venue will be unparalleled in terms of hospitality and production capabilities and will provide our fans and competitors with an unreal experience.”

Zach Leonsis, president of media and new enterprises for MSE, added: “Monumental Sports is so excited to partner with the NHL and welcome the NA Championship to our brand-new facility dedicated to esports – and home to our very own esports hockey team, Caps Gaming.

“District E is ready to open its doors to this incredible showcase of hockey gamers and fans to help crown the best CHEL players in North America.”