August 2016: Israel’s premier e-Sports event, the League of Legends national championship, concluded successfully this 11th of August. The event, hosted for the 5th time by 4DV e-Sports Productions company with collaboration from the Israeli e-Sports Association, featured a 1,000-seat auditorium packed with fans cheering for their favorite teams.
The Israeli League of Legends National Championship is the largest e-Sports event in Israel and the frontrunner of the e-Sports movement in the country. The annual event was held for the first time in the 2012 in the Hod Ha’Sharon gaming event. Starting from 2013, the grand finalists of the national championship battle against each other in front of live audience, and the winners is not only crowned as the national champions, but also the official Israeli team to the world championships held by the International e-Sports Federation.
e-Sports is gaining recognition in Israel as the sport of the future, with e-Sports teams starting to officially form in order to compete in e-Sports leagues and events. The Israeli e-Sports Association is making the necessary preparations in order to support the new organizations and players.
The 2016 League of Legends national championship was the largest e-Sports event ever held in Israel. The event was held in the Rishon Lezion Palace of Culture, featuring a 1,000 seat hall with a grand stage for the players, host and broadcasters. The event was sponsored by some of the largest gaming firms in the world, including ASUS and the Republic of Gamers brand, as well as Logitech and AOC Gaming. As part of their support in the Israeli e-Sports, ASUS also built a dedicated ASUS zone in the event, featuring the latest gaming PC’s and gear for free demonstrations, as well as a sales booth featuring all of their gaming products for a discounted price.
The event also featured a cosplay competition, giving the best cosplayers in Israel the most prestigious stage to show off their work.
“The League of Legends national championship is viewed today as the premier e-Sports event in Israel, due to its many achievements,” says Ido Brosh, president of the IESA, and adds that “when you visit the championship, you are sucked into the event’s culture, and become part of this amazing e-Sports and League of Legends community. This event is the proof that the e-Sports industry in Israel is on the verge of booming and joining Korea, Europe and north America with awesome events and high production value.”
The event had hosted the finals of the national League of Legends league, with team Jew Crew and team Ebonobos fighting for the national cup. Defending team Ebonobos, national champions of 2015 and the official Israeli team in IeSF 7th e-Sports World Championship, had lost their title to Jew Crew, which after a swift 3-0 series claimed the national cup.
