DuPage Sports Commission: Special Edition November 2023

November 2023

The Rise of Esports and the Role of the Sports Commission Letter from DSC Director of Sports Igor Bakovic.......2 2023 Champions of Economic Impact Award.........3 Launch of the Midwest Esports Invitational...............4 A Roundtable Discussion with Tourism Leaders on the Value of Esports...................................4

Dear Partners, While esports have been around for a while, they are just starting to gain attention and momentum in the sports tourism space. As we near the end of the year, I want to highlight this important market and energize our partners, as we are energized by the opportunities that lie ahead.

DuPage County has become a recognized player in the esports market, as you will see throughout this special edition publication. There is growing demand for tournaments at all levels, with existing events already showing significant return on investment. The DuPage Sports Commission will continue to carve out DuPage’s relevance in esports and our regional market share.

More than four years after the launch of the DuPage Sports Commission, DSC’s mission remains vital and even more relevant as event incubator, development advocate, lead generator, and community collaborator. Thank you to all our partners for following and supporting our efforts.

I look forward to sharing more with you in 2024.

Igor Bakovic Director of Sports, DuPage Sports Commission

Click here to listen to Igor’s interview with Sports Events Entertainment Network as he discusses the draw of DuPage County and the goals he has for this year and beyond.

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DuPage Sports Commission • November 2023

2023 CHAMPIONS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AWARD Frosty Faustings XV and the DuPage Sports

Fort Lauderdale, Orlando,

Commission have been selected as 2023 Champions

and others. Award criteria

of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports

focuses on an event’s economic

Destination Management in the large market category.

impact on the host communities, including spectator

From humble beginnings to its celebratory 15th

fees, hotel room usage, and patronage of restaurants

year, Frosty Faustings epitomizes the emergence and

and shops.

relevance of esports in the sports tourism industry.

With more than 2,500 room nights consumed over this four-day event, gamers and guests delivered an estimated economic impact of $2.81 million.

This is the second time DSC has been honored, having been recognized in 2022 in partnership with Stardust Bowl in the large market category for the local impact of the 2022 United States Bowling

As one of the largest esports events in the Midwest,

Congress Women’s Championships. The tournament

people traveled from every corner of the United

brought approximately 400 visitors each day to

States to immerse themselves across 25 game titles

DuPage County over the tournament’s 10 weeks

for the right to call themselves champions. More

with players hailing from all 50 states as well as

than 3,500 gamers took over the guest rooms and

internationally. The final impact report showed

meeting space of DuPage County’s largest hotel, The

18,562 room nights attached to the event.

Westin Chicago Lombard, and additionally filled room blocks at several other area hotels.

Cheers, chants, and adrenaline kept participants and spectators on the edge of their seats. The event was also an official qualifier for the Arc World Tour. DSC looks forward to welcoming Frosty Faustings again in January 2024.

DuPage County stands in good company. Other 2023 Champions of Economic Impact in the large market category include major destinations such as Dallas, Tulsa,

The Rise of Esports and the Role of the Sports Commission

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LAUNCH OF THE MIDWEST ESPORTS INVITATIONAL One of the major roles of the DuPage Sports Commission

to compete in Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Super Smash

is to incubate and create new sporting events. In a

Bros. Ultimate. The Midwest Esports Invitational will

market the size of DuPage County, with its numerous

provide a premier atmosphere for colleges to showcase

positive tourism attributes and existing base of events,

their esports programs, complete with an event expo,

opportunity lies in advancing grassroots sports tourism

and impressive prize pools.

— resulting in new and stronger tourism drivers. Proven in existing cases within DuPage, grassroots events are capable of bringing competitors and visitors from around the country, and world, to DuPage County along with positive economic impact.

Enter the Midwest Esports Invitational — DSC’s first venture in capitalizing on the growing tournament needs of the esports market. The tournament will run February 24 - 25, 2024 and will be hosted in Lisle, Illinois. DSC looks forward to welcoming a number of prestigious and major esports collegiate programs from across the country

Click here to watch the promotional video

A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH TOURISM LEADERS ON THE VALUE OF ESPORTS Sports Planning Guide “Convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and their

Gold, executive VP at Greater Raleigh CVB; Nick Kleva,

respective sports commissions across the globe play

director of sports development at Visit South Bend

critical roles for their unique destination’s marketing

Mishawaka; and Matt Wilson, senior VP of sports & events

and development for tourism—be it for business or

at Arlington (Texas) Sports Commission. Each of these

pleasure. These not-for-profit organizations are the first

destinations is renowned for their strong presence in

step to organizing and promoting events, whether that

the esports industry. Dive into our roundtable discussion

be a convention or an esports tournament. We sat down

to learn how these CVBs are pushing the industry at a

to talk esports with Igor Bakovic, director of sports at

localized level.”

DuPage Sports Commission in suburban Chicago; Loren

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DuPage Sports Commission • November 2023

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