Dortmund is getting its own eSports city championship

This is a joint initiative between city authorities and sports clubs aimed at mixing both virtual and real-world activities

Yesterday, city authorities in Dortmund in Germany announced they will hold an eSports tournament between October and November this year. The city decided to team up with ‘StadtSportBund’, the local sports union.

The tournament will be open to both casual and more serious gamers as it aims to promote a healthy appreciation for digital entertainment. The first competition will be in eFootball and it will be open to both teams and individuals. Additionally, the tournament will be limited to residents of Dortmund.

Mixing digital and real-world sports

Dortmund has decided to bring traditional sports and eSports together by partnering with the StadtSportBund for the first gaming tournament in the city. In addition to local eSports clubs, traditional sports clubs will also be involved in the preparation and implementation of the city championship.

This would give both virtual and real-world sports admirers a chance to experience something new and get involved.

There is no definition of a genre in the championship, but first-person shooters and games with violent and anti-democratic content will be excluded. At the same time, people will have the chance to take part as an individual or as a team. The final events will be accompanied by lectures, workshops and more.

The city will not award any cash prizes in the championship, but the top three players will receive trophies and other prizes. There will also be club prizes for the participating teams from the sports clubs.

Authorities in Dortmund have said that they plan to launch a study into the effectiveness of the championship and if it is deemed successful, it will become a staple of the city. At the same time, they have also stated that they plan to extend the eSports Championship to clubs across the city, not limiting them to the centre.