“A hell of a leap into the unknown” – Libération

After a year of waiting, it’s here. Karmine Corp, one of the most prominent e-sports clubs in France, is moving into its own stadium this Friday, September 20, the “Arènes de l’Agora”, a newly renovated venue located in Evry ( Essonne) and welcoming 2,300 fans for the occasion. A historic meeting for French and European e-sport: for the first time in Europe, one of its teams will compete in an official meeting in “at home”.

On the program this weekend, League of Legendsmaster of the discipline, will inaugurate this great first Friday evening during a quarter-final of the Coupe de France. Then the festivities will resume the next day, with an event combining e-sport, entertainment and meeting with supporters around the game Rocket League – title in which players must score goals in football cages while driving cars. All broadcast live on Twitch.

“For the first time in France and Europe, an official match of an e-sport team will take place in this team’s stadium. This is a historic first [en Europe, ndlr]»rejoices to AFP Arthur Perticoz, the general director of the club. “It’s quite a leap into the unknown.” KCorp has signed a five-year lease with the Arènes de l’Agora, owned by the Grand Paris Sud conurbation, and hopes to organize up to 10 events there per year.

Until now, most video game competitions around the world took place online or in studios run by publishers or tournament organizers. Riot Games, parent company of League of Legendscan for example count on studios with just over 200 seats to accommodate spectators of its European competition in Berlin. More rare, official meetings in the (general) public take place for special occasions – final phases of major competitions – in neutral venues, such as the Adidas Arena in Paris or the Sud de France Arena in Montpellier.

“A very important step in the growth of the club”

But like traditional sports, e-sport clubs now aspire to have their own stadiums to be able to generate ticketing revenue. If several Chinese teams already have their own infrastructure, the Old Continent has never tried it. “Historically, e-sport is faced with two shortcomings which are ticketing and media rights”explained Arthur Perticoz. “It is fundamental to create new sources of income. It is therefore a very important step in the growth of the club, we are taking another step forward with our own room.

For Karmine Corp, it is also further proof of the immense popular success of this club born barely four years ago. In record time, the “KCorp” has experienced meteoric development and built an incredible fanbase, between the popularity of its star founders – streamers Prime and Kameto – and e-sports successes on the channel. In September 2023, for example, the club brought together 28,000 of its supporters at Paris La Défense Arena, the largest performance hall in Europe, breaking attendance records for the sector.

The team now hopes that other structures will do the same to take the entire industry to a new level. “We will be closely watched by game publishers around the world because this could change the business model”wants to believe Arthur Perticoz.

“Beyond KCorp, this is undeniably a moment that can constitute a new stage for French and European e-sport”confirms Nicolas Besombes, sociologist of e-sport. “In terms of diversifying sources of income, events, fanbase loyalty, approaching new audiences, that opens up a lot of perspectives.”