The City of Angels – discover more about Los Angeles which will host this year’s VALORANT Champions.
UNITED STATES – A place where dreamers find their calling and where angels might feel at home, Los Angeles ranks as the second-biggest city in the United States, right behind New York City. When you think of LA, you might picture the Hollywood Sign, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s famous, sure, but it’s just a tiny glimpse of the vast and varied world of entertainment that thrives in the city that makes LA, well, LA.
Regarded as the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles is home to the biggest name in film, television, and recording. Its cultural allure radiates from the gleaming red carpet of the Dolby Theatre to the hallowed studios where cinematic legends took shape.
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This magic doesn’t just stay on the screen; it lives in the city itself. Whether it’s in a burst of laughter from a comedy club or a melody drifting from a street musician’s guitar, LA’s unique charm and charisma are everywhere, touching those who live there and those who are just passing through.
The city’s rich diversity is reflected in its culinary arts, music, and visual expressions. From the exotic, aromatic streets of Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and Koreatown, it is offering authentic cultural experiences and flavors to venerable institutions such as the Getty Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which house artistic treasures spanning eras and continents.
But beyond its modern glamour lies a name echoing its profound heritage: ‘El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles del Río Porciúncula.’ This translates to ‘The town of our Lady Queen of the Angels of the Porciuncula River,’ a gentle reminder of the historical roots that ground this city of angels, dreams, and timeless elegance.
VALORANT Champions Los Angeles
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Los Angeles is no less significant in esports, serving as home to some of the most prominent names in the industry. Within the county, powerhouse teams like Cloud9, Gen.G, Immortals, Sentinels, The Guard, NRG Esports, and the now-defunct Counter Logic Gaming have found their base in LA. The city also hosts franchised squads such as the Gladiators, Guerrillas, Thieves, Valiant, and others, further cementing its status as a vital center for esports in the United States.
The 2023 VALORANT Champions event is set to unfold in two locations in Los Angeles. Kicking off the proceedings will be the Shrine Expo Hall, situated in downtown LA next to USC. This venue boasts the single largest proscenium-style stage with a freestanding balcony in North America, featuring a seating capacity of 6,300 and a 54,000 square-foot Expo Hall. From August 6 to 13, the Shrine Expo Hall will be the battleground for the group stage and the initial phase of the playoffs before the event transitions to the more larger KIA Forum venue.
With its impressive 17,500-seat capacity, the KIA Forum has a rich history of hosting the Lakers and Kings from 1967 to 1999. Beyond sports, it has become a signature destination for top-tier musical artists like Elvis Presley, Elton John, Britney Spears, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, G-Dragon, Bruno Mars, Jay-Z, Harry Styles, and a host of others. This renowned arena will be the stage for the thrilling climax of the competition, hosting the upper bracket finals, lower bracket semi-finals, lower bracket finals, and grand finals from August 24 to 26.
Riot Games maintains a substantial presence in California, with its principal headquarters situated in Santa Monica, complemented by the LCS Arena located directly across the street. Notably, the League of Legends World Championships were hosted in Los Angeles in the years 2012, 2013, and 2016, with the latter two events being held at the prestigious Staples Center.
“The VCT is more global than ever, from the loud, dazzling stress of Sao Paulo to the neon-lit skyscrapers of Tokyo. All of these roads lead to one city, where superstars are born. The only place we could have held VALORANT Champions 2023: Los Angeles.
These hallowed halls have been home to some of the biggest names in entertainment and sport: from Kendrick Lamar to Rihanna. A million magic moments. This is where legends – no, champions – are made. Welcome to the KIA Forum.
It’s been seven years since Riot hosted a championship in our own backyard. And what a better way to usher in the new era of the VCT than with a house party?”
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Cover photo courtesy of Luis Santoyo
