DC's Convention and Sports Authority, Events DC, Returns to South by Southwest (SXSW) with a Celebration of Esports

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As Washington, DC's official convention and sports authority, Events DC is returning to South by Southwest (SXSW) to host programming that centers around DC's esports achievements and celebrates the future of the entertainment and sports landscape in the DC area.

Events DC will kick off this year's SXSW's gaming programming with an immersive event activation at Trinity Hall called "Levels Unlocked DC: House of DC Heroes," which will showcase three game-themed rooms that celebrate DC's esports entities, interactive retro games, shareable social experiences, and electric concert featuring headliner, The Glitch Mob.

With décor and cocktails designed by Drink Company, the creative minds behind DC's iconic rotating Pop-Up Bars (PUBs) such as Miracle on Seventh Street, Cherry Blossom PUB, and the Game of Thrones PUB, Events DC's "House of DC Heroes" will be the ultimate DC esports experience at SXSW complete with esports-themed cocktails.

"DC is one of the few cities across the globe with multiple dedicated esports teams and sponsorships, and we are excited to highlight our incredible achievements during SXSW Gaming. This year we will showcase DC's ties to Overwatch, Smash Bros. Ultimate and NBA2K by bringing these games to life with a pop-up event in Austin and later this summer in DC," said Gregory A. O'Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. "Through our efforts at SXSW it is our goal to continue to grow this new market and ignite a new ecosystem for our city with new jobs and opportunities."

Since Events DC's 2017 NRG Esports sponsorship announcement at SXSW, DC has added an official Overwatch League team, the Washington Justice, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment's NBA2K Team.  More recently, Events DC has opened a new 4,200-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA) that was built with the intent of hosting esports events and global tournaments. This fall, the Arena hosted Red Bull's street fighting circuit tournament finals, CONQUEST, electric concerts and is also home to DC's NBA G-League Capital City Go-Go and WNBA team, the Washington Mystics. 

As the official convention and sports authority, Events DC continues to make strategic commitments within the esports space on both a local and global platform, including team sponsorships and infrastructure with the ultimate goal of attracting innovative leaders, brands and events to DC while enhancing the city's economy.  Through House of DC Heroes at SXSW, Events DC will continue to show the world that Washington, DC is all in on esports as the next sports frontier. 

"The House of DC Heroes at SXSW will provide another terrific opportunity to showcase the innovative, forward-leaning, entrepreneurial spirit that makes Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Events DC such amazing organizations," The District continues to make its mark as a first-class hub for all things esports and we are proud to play a role in its rapid growth in our region," said Zach Leonsis - Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & General Manager of Monumental Sports Network. 

Levels Unlocked DC: House of DC Heroes
In an effort to position the District as the "Capital of Esports" as well as promote the city as an innovative sports and entertainment hub to the influential and international SXSW audience, Events DC will convert Austin's Trinity Hall with reimagined scenes from games tied to DC esports. The installation and event "Levels Unlocked DC – House of DC Heroes" will be made up of three game-themed rooms celebrate all of DC's esports entities: Monumental Sports & Entertainment's NBA2K Team, NRG's Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Overwatch League's newest team, the Washington Justice. The gaming programming within "House of DC Heroes" will include open play of NBA2K, Overwatch and Smash, plus additional interactive retro games and shareable social experiences. The event is designed to allow attendees to feel immersed with their favorite gaming environment. Nairo, representing NRG's Smash Bros. Ultimate and DC NBA2K professional players will engage with festival-goers in open play tournaments.

"We're thrilled to be back at SXSW for another year with our amazing partners at Events DC. Bringing Nairo down to Texas to hang out and play with his fans and speak to the community about gaming is a highlight of our year," said Brett Lautenbach, President, NRG.

"We are thrilled to work with our founding partner Events DC to celebrate the Overwatch League at SXSW and bring this amazing league to DC. The vision and catalytic support of Events DC has been critical to making our Capital Region at the forefront of the esports revolution, and we cannot wait for esports fans, both old and new, to experience live the excitement and beauty of the world of Overwatch," Mark Ein, owner, Washington Justice. 

An Esports-Themed Music Lineup
"Levels Unlocked DC: House of DC Heroes" will feature an esports-themed music showcase to round out the overall gaming and esports experience. The full music lineup includes: DC DJ, Farrah Flosscett, notable gaming DJs Mega Ran and R.O.C.K.M.A.N, with headliner The Glitch Mob.  Esports fans will recognize The Glitch Mob for their electric performance at the 2018 League of Legends tournament in South Korea where they performed World Championship song "RISE" which was originally created for the Riot Games tournament.

Following SXSW, Events DC will bring the esports-themed activation "Levels Unlocked DC: House of DC Heroes" home to the District this July and August with the team of pop-up innovators at Drink Company, as part of DC's "Pop Up Bar" (PUB) experience that has garnered national acclaim for the over-the-top décor and creative cocktails. House of DC Heroes PUB will be held at 1839 7th St. NW.

Enriching and fostering Washington, DC's entertainment scene continues to be a top priority for Events DC. Through events like "House of DC Heroes," Events DC is committed to promoting DC's vibrant and diverse music landscape of talented artists, signature festivals and iconic venues. Events DC's presence at SXSW 2019 represents another exciting milestone in their strategy to brand DC as an entertainment capital as well as attract future visitors, residents, tournaments and economic prosperity to Washington, DC. 

The "Levels Unlocked DC: House of DC Heroes" event will be hosted at Trinity Hall on 311 East 5th Street, March 13, 2019 in downtown Austin. Admission is free to all SXSW badge holders and doors will open at 7:00 p.m. To follow Events DC's SXSW journey, follow along on Instagram @EventsDC and Twitter @TheEventsDC or look out for #HouseofDCHeroes.

About Events DC
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and Skate Park at RFK Campus. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKCampus.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and is building the Entertainment and Sports Arena (www.ESAontheRise.com), all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook (Events DC), Twitter (@TheEventsDC) and Instagram (@EventsDC).

CONTACT: Ashley Forrester, 202-439-7109, [email protected]

SOURCE Events DC

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