Andrew Rogers
BBC Newsbeat, reporting from the O2 Arena

Hello and thank you for joining us as we cover the very exciting League of Legends Worlds Finals.

There’s no doubt that people here are excited. Everywhere you look, fans are wearing their favorite teams’ jerseys during the final: BLG from China, and more often from Korea T1.

Politicians and organizers are keen to highlight the economic benefits of the event, and it will no doubt provide a boost to travelers from the UK and around the world. Tickets sold out within minutes.

But it’s not all good news. Some have called the last few years an “esports winter,” as many teams and tournaments have struggled financially and closed their doors. Arguably the UK esports scene was more vibrant ten years ago, with more teams and more mid-sized events. Since then, the money has dried up.

So while bringing the Worlds to the UK is a huge vote of confidence, teams and smaller competition organizers are hoping it’s not just a flash in the pan.