BLAST Announces Strategic Partnership with MATCH

Esports entertainment company BLAST has announced a strategic partnership with premium sports experiences firm MATCH, which specializes in hospitality and fan travel programs for major sporting events.

The one-year agreement will see MATCH work alongside BLAST to deliver premium fan travel experiences and commercial opportunities across BLAST’s global esports events portfolio, ahead of the upcoming BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals in November.

MATCH, and its associated group of companies, deliver hospitality and accommodation programs at major sports events. This includes four consecutive FIFA World Cups between 2010 and 2022, Ryder Cup tournaments, Formula 1 Grand Prix and ATP tennis tournaments.

The partnership comes amid continued global growth and demand for elevated live esports events, according to the entertainment company. In 2025, BLAST delivered 15 arena shows across 10 countries spanning five esports titles, selling 194,421 tickets to fans across the world.

“We’re thrilled to partner with MATCH Hospitality, a company with an unrivalled track record in delivering top-tier fan travel experiences at the biggest sporting events in the world,” said James Woollard, vice president of destinations and market development for BLAST. “As BLAST continues to grow globally and attract growing numbers of traveling fans, this partnership represents an exciting opportunity to further elevate the live event experience for fans and audiences across esports.”

“Esports is one of the most exciting growth frontiers in live entertainment, and BLAST stands out as a world-class platform with incredible potential,” said Richard Parker, director of UK events and business strategy for MATCH. “At MATCH, we see a tremendous opportunity to bring our expertise in creating premium fan experiences into the esports arena. We are very enthusiastic about the possibility of working together with BLAST to deliver innovative, unforgettable experiences for esports fans worldwide.”

Expansion Ambitions

Through the partnership, MATCH will seek to bring its global network of clients, sponsors, international sports federations, agents and media partners to BLAST events. In doing so, it is aiming to expand international attendance, elevate fan experiences and further position esports within the premium live entertainment landscape.

The collaboration will leverage MATCH’s existing technology, infrastructure and operational expertise, in a bid to create scalable fan travel solutions tailored for esports audiences and commercial partners.

In January, BLAST opened its host destination process for 2027 and 2028. While a bid submission deadline for hosting 2027 events has now passed, potential candidates can still submit their bids for 2028 events by July 3 if they have already formally submitted their expression of interest.

The company expects more than 700,00 fans to attend its events in those two years, with 70 percent coming from outside the host city.