BLAST Premier will be making its long-awaited return to the US with the Spring Final set to take place in Washington, D.C.’s Entertainment & Sports Arena.

BLAST has teamed with Events DC and Monumental Sports & Entertainment to bring its global esports tournament, the BLAST Premier Spring Final, to Washington in June this year.

Hosted at Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, the Spring Final will run from 7th-11th June and will feature the world’s biggest esports teams, battling for the first BLAST Premier trophy of 2023, a share of the event’s $450,000 prize pool and a place in the prestigious World Final.

The nation’s capital will host the first BLAST event to take place in North America since 2019, when the BLAST Pro Series was hosted in Los Angeles, California, and where US-based Team Liquid lifted the trophy.

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The announcement and partnership align with BLAST’s on-going commitment to reaching new audiences, delivering incredible experiences in state-of-the-art arenas and bringing esports closer to those who love it most.

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.”

“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,” said Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. “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.”

“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,” said Zach Leonsis, President, Media and New Enterprises for Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “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.”

Opened in 2018, Events DC’s 4,000 seat Entertainment & Sports Arena is the state-of-the-art home to the WNBA Washington Mystics and NBA G League Capital City Go-Go. The multi-purpose venue hosts a wide range of entertainment from concerts, wrestling, basketball, esports and more. Further activity will also take place at District E Powered by Ticketmaster, which will debut in March 2023 as a new esports and entertainment destination in downtown DC, developed by Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

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BLAST Premier is the world’s leading Counter-Strike tournament series, hosting the best players and teams, offering opportunities to regions across the globe and crowning the world champions of CS:GO. Up to 32 of the world’s best teams take part in the seven BLAST Premier events across the year with a combined prize pool of $2,475,000 on the line.

Six teams will confirm their place for Washington, D.C. during this week’s BLAST Premier Spring Groups which is currently taking place at BLAST’s studios in Copenhagen, Denmark. The remaining two teams will be made up of winners from each regional Spring Showdown (12-16 April).

BLAST.tv will be the home of BLAST Premier in 2023, where fans can get closer to the action than ever before. Innovative and fan-first viewing features will allow fans to tailor their viewing experience, relive key and exciting moments and impact the action unfolding before their eyes.