So here I am at the WC3L Finals, under the sun shades in the press area, infront of a massive stage with only a dozen spectators. The first match has been delayed due to Technical issues, something to do with the network, so I’m sure those who woke up early to watch the matches are busy fuming.

The location for the WC3L is a theme park called Happy Valley, a pretty good one but very expensive entry fee of 170 yuen about 17 euros, which for China is a lot. The WC3L stage is surrounded by a water rollercoaster (which I have been on to cool me down, and which is ace!), it is boiling here in Beijing.
The area virtually empty, you can hear the screams in the distance from the students riding the various rollercoaster’s and who perhaps are not that interested in sitting and sweating to watch Warcraft3.

Despite the Blizzard eSports College tournament being very low budget, it is a much better location for an event. Blizzard sponsored both, but with a lack of coverage websites present, a stage void of spectators, the PPLive stream will be their main outlet to reach the fans.

I’ve seen some of the players so far, Mousesports players are scattered around the place, with Fly off with his girlfriend to enjoy the rides, Hasuobs and manager Nik walking around the WC3L area, TH000 wandering and FoV nowhere to be seen, most likely enjoying the company of his Chinese girlfriend as well. Their match does not begin until 4pm but given the first delay, it will also probably be delayed.

WICKED eSports along with Check from nGize are in the player booths now, while Cassandra flexes her management skills acting as the go-between for Team EG and the admins. No sign of nGize.Lucifron though, he is also probably screaming on a rollercoaster somewhere.

The WC3L stage seems a bit of a waste of money, given its location it is probably a fixed stage used for other events in the theme park, but it is a stage which would really come to life in the evening, with the lights, and the player boxes, not in the heart of the afternoon.

I’m unsure how regular I can provide media, the internet here is shocking, at the moment I’m hugging the wall next to the production room where the wi-fi is located, apparently MacBook wireless is poor. If not I will upload when I get back to my hotel room in the evening (so late afternoon for you guys in Europe).
Comment here what you’d like to hear from the WC3L Finals, I am the only English speaking website here, many would probably see the trip as a needless expense, but it is a theme park to be fair.

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