Starcraft 2 news » Attend BlizzCon® Opening Week In Person! Tickets On Sale May 17
Planning to be in Southern California for BlizzCon® 2018? Kick off your BlizzCon experience with some esports action by attending BlizzCon Opening Week 2018 live October 25–29 at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles in Burbank, California!
For the first time ever, you can be part of the BlizzCon Opening Week live audience for the initial rounds of the World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship global finals and Heroes of the Storm® Global Championship (HGC) finals. Esports fans also have the chance to explore the Blizzard Arena through special behind-the-scenes tours, where they’ll witness firsthand how broadcasts come together during the live StarCraft® II World Championship Series (WCS) Global Finals.
Tickets to these events go on sale starting May 17 at 17:00 CEST through the Blizzard Arena Los Angeles ticketing site. Single-day tickets to the WoW® Arena games and HGC games will be available for $30 per day (plus applicable taxes and fees). Tickets to one of the Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour sessions will be available for $50 per session (plus applicable taxes and fees), with multiple dates and time slots available to choose from.
Read on for all the details, and find out how you can be there in person to witness some of the world’s best Blizzard esports teams and players competing live!
Heroes of the Storm Global Championship (HGC) Finals – Opening Week Tickets
Top Heroes of the Storm teams from around the world are competing for domination of the Nexus right now—but BlizzCon is the ultimate destination for these heroes.
Each HGC Finals Opening Week single-day ticket is priced at $30 USD and grants one person admission to Blizzard Arena Los Angeles for the HGC matches on the specified day. Each ticket grants access to general seating in Studio 1, where the initial rounds of the HGC Finals will take place.
HGC Finals Opening Week – Thursday Ticket
Date and Hours: Thursday, October 25, 2018
HGC Finals Opening Week – Friday Ticket
Date and Hours: Friday, October 26, 2018
HGC Finals Opening Week – Saturday Ticket
Date and Hours: Saturday, October 27, 2018
HGC Finals Opening Week – Sunday Ticket
Date and Hours: Sunday, October 28, 2018
Tournament start times will be announced in the near future. Full tournament schedule will be released at a later date.
WoW Arena World Championship – Opening Week Tickets
After nearly a year of brutal regional competition, the top teams of Arena gladiators from around the world will gather for a final showdown in the World of Warcraft Arena Global Championship—and you can be there to cheer on your favorite combatants!
Each World of Warcraft Arena World Championship Opening Week ticket is priced at $30 USD and grants one person one-day admission to Blizzard Arena Los Angeles on October 29. Each ticket grants access to general seating in Studio 1, where the initial rounds of the WoW Arena World Championship will take place.
WoW Arena World Championship Opening Week – Monday Ticket
Date and Hours: Monday, October 29, 2018
Tournament start time will be announced in the near future. Full tournament schedule will be released at a later date.
Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Get a rare look at how Blizzard and our esports and broadcast teams bring Blizzard Arena competition to viewers around the world through this behind-the-scenes tour, which takes you through Studio 1 where the HGC matches are being played, and includes a special stop in Studio 5 during the StarCraft II World Championship Series (WCS) Global Finals to witness a piece of the action.
Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes tour tickets are available for $50 USD each, and allows one person to participate in a guided tour of Blizzard Arena Los Angeles (approximate tour length: 1.5 hours). You’ll explore backstage at the Blizzard Arena and learn how Blizzard esports productions come together in the arena’s intimate Studio 5, where the initial rounds of the StarCraft II WCS Global Finals are being broadcast from. Each group will also have a chance to watch top StarCraft II players compete live for a portion of the WCS tournament.
To keep group sizes small, several daily sessions are being offered over the course of three days, each departing approximately 45 minutes apart. When purchasing tickets, you must choose which session (date and time slot) you’d like to participate in:
Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Friday, October 26
Tour A: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (all times in PDT)
Tour B: 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Tour C: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Tour D: 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Tour E: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Saturday, October 27
Tour F: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (all times in PDT)
Tour G: 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Tour H: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Tour I: 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Tour J: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Sunday, October 28
Tour K: 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (all times in PDT)
Tour L: 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Tour M: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Tour N: 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Tour O: 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tour P: 1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Tour Q: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Tour R: 2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Note that due to space limitations in Studio 5, this ticket does not allow you to stay to watch the full StarCraft WCS tournament on the day of your tour. The tour ticket also does not include admission to HGC tournaments taking place on those days. Tickets to the HGC Finals, WoW Arena Global Championship, and Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour must all be purchased separately.
For more information on attending events at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, including driving directions, item restrictions, and the Arena Code of Conduct, check out the Visitor Info page.
BlizzCon Opening Week Ticketing FAQ
Q: Where do the final rounds of the BlizzCon tournaments take place?
BlizzCon Opening Week is where the initial rounds of the WoW Arena World Championship, Heroes of the Storm Global Championship, and StarCraft II WCS Global Championship take place. All BlizzCon competitions will culminate at the main event in the Anaheim Convention Center November 2–3, where the final rounds of all three of the aforementioned tournaments, along with the Hearthstone Global Games and Overwatch World Cup, will take place.
Q: Do Opening Week tickets grant admission to the esports events at the BlizzCon 2018 main event in Anaheim Convention Center?
Opening Week tickets do not include admission to any of the esports tournaments or other events at the Anaheim Convention Center. These tickets are only valid for admission to the associated BlizzCon Opening Week events at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles from October 25–29.
Q: Do I need to have tickets to the BlizzCon 2018 main event in order to buy tickets to Opening Week?
Nope! These tickets are being offered independently of tickets to the BlizzCon main event at the Anaheim Convention Center, and BlizzCon 2018 admission is not required to purchase tickets to any of the BlizzCon Opening Week dates.
Q: Can I buy tickets to more than one day of Opening Week?
Yes, feel free to mix and match tickets for the day(s) and events you’re most interested in. We realize everyone’s travel schedule is different, and we wanted to make sure esports fans had the flexibility to watch tournaments for the specific games they want to see most during Opening Week.
Q: Is seating for the WoW Arena and HGC days reserved?
Single-day WoW Arena and HGC Opening Week tickets provide access to general seating in Studio 1, and seats are not assigned or reserved.
Q: Can I buy a single ticket that grants access to all of the events at Opening Week?
No, we don’t have plans to make a single ticket for all of Opening Week available. If you want to attend everything during Opening Week, you’ll need to purchase separate tickets for each day of the WoW Arena and HGC matches, and/or a separate ticket for the Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour.
Q: Do tickets to the Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour grant admission to the other events in the Blizzard Arena on that day?
No, Blizzard Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour tickets do not grant admission to any other Opening Week event. If you wish to watch the HGC matches taking place the same day as your session, you will need to purchase a separate HGC ticket for that day.
Q: Will you be selling full-day tickets to the StarCraft II WCS Opening Week matches?
No, we won't be selling all-day tickets to attend the WCS during Opening Week. The studio where the WCS Opening Week games are taking place is great for broadcasting 1v1 competition, but is not designed to accommodate a live studio audience. The Behind the Scenes tours will give several small groups of StarCraft II esports fans a chance to see a portion of the WCS tournament--and as always, people attending the BlizzCon main event will be able to watch the final rounds of the WCS live at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Q: Why are you not offering tickets to the WCS events? Will there be a way to watch the full StarCraft II Opening Week tournament live?
The StarCraft II WCS tournament is being produced in a studio not designed to accommodate a regular live audience, so viewing space is very limited. If you’re planning to be in Southern California during Opening Week, we’re looking into the possibility of hosting a StarCraft II WCS Opening Week viewing event in the vicinity of the arena, where people can gather to watch live broadcasts. Stay tuned for more details.
Q: What do I need to know about attending events at the arena?
For more information on attending events at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, including travel directions and parking details, item restrictions, the Arena Code of Conduct, how to get ticket support, and more, check out the Visitor Info page.
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