'It's growing really fast worldwide': Calgary esports bar will be 1st in Alberta
Bar will stream esports and traditional sports, and offer stations for gamers to play
Alberta's first esports bar is set to open in Calgary this week. One of the bar's owners said it's a sign of the growing popularity of competitive gaming.
"It's growing really fast worldwide," said Peyman Nejad, the president of Ram Cross esports.
"We understand that in many places in the world, China, South Korea, even in the States, they're all teaming up and professional sponsors are spending a lot of money on esports. So we felt this could be a get here in Alberta."
Ram Cross, located in the old Morgans Pub at 1324 17th Ave S.W., will be a space for esports fans to both watch the competitive gaming tournaments and for aspiring players to hone their skills.
It will have a lounge with 18 high-end gaming PCs, fibre-optic internet, and screens placed throughout the bar to watch tournaments.
Nejad is an engineer and project manager, without a background in professional gaming or running a bar, but he said he's looking at this as just another project to tackle.
He said he wants to the bar to be a space for everyone — not just gamers — so he hopes to draw people in with good food and by streaming traditional sports games as well.
"If there's any big sport event, hockey game, soccer, we can still stream it on the larger screens. We don't want to disconnect from the old-fashioned 100 per cent … so they can enjoy from both [sides], the old-fashioned and new-fashioned games," Nejad said.
"We encourage people to come and try all these aspects that we are offering, the good food, the sports, the esports, so anybody with the community, with any different tastes can enjoy the same facility."
A report from market research company Newzoo last year predicted esports will grow to a billion-dollar industry this year, with streams of some competitions pulling in millions of viewers.
The top esports players earned more than $1 million last year, playing games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike and StarCraft.
Calgary's first esports league opened in January, and Nejad said he's reached out to the league and others in the local community to let them know the space could be a hub for fans to gather.
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"We want to ask the community hat they want and help them to facilitate," he said.
There are esports bars in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and even Saskatoon, and Canada's first purpose-built esports arena is set to break ground in Richmond, B.C., next year.
Wes Nelson, of Calgary Esports League, said it's exciting to see the growth of competitive gaming in Calgary and he hopes the bar succeeds.
"Seeing more people getting permanent, professional venues off the ground makes us feel really good," Nelson said.
Some of the tournaments Ram Cross will screen, and games people can play, include Apex Legends, League of Legends, Fortnite, Super Smash Bros. and Overwatch.
Ram Cross' grand opening will be on Saturday.