SVG: “The esports industry was among the first to get live broadcasts rolling again after the pandemic arrived, but the events have largely been online and without fans. That changes this weekend: ESL Gaming’s Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice event has taken over the Spodek arena for the largest LAN esports event with in-person fans in nearly two years. And, despite the current fraught scene in Eastern Europe, fans have flocked to the Polish city to experience the event first-hand.”

“We can safely say that this is the biggest LAN event with fans since the pandemic began at the same event back in 2020,” says ESL Gaming Senior Broadcast Engineer Adrian Segarceanu, who is serving as EIC in Katowice.