Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fans and players have petitioned ESL to move the upcoming IEM Rio Major 2022 to a larger stadium after tickets for the event sold out in under an hour.
ESL announced the location of the major on Tuesday and opened up tickets for purchase the following day. Upset fans took to Twitter to explain that they waited hours in a queue only for tickets to get sold out immediately, some even dealing with website crashes.
Part of the reason the event sold out so fast was that tickets from the canceled ESL One: Rio 2020 event were still valid for anyone who didn’t get a refund. The sheer volume of Brazilian CS:GO fans also adds to the difficulties in providing ample tickets.
At present, IEM Rio is slated to take place in the Jeunesse Arena, which has a maximum capacity of roughly 15,000 people. That number is further reduced by the setup of a semi-circle around the stage.
Overwhelming! Thank you. All tickets for the #IEM Rio Major 2022 were sold out within 60 minutes. 🙏
For all event updates, sign up here: https://t.co/43q5jXMjN2 pic.twitter.com/rGpoOcgYw8
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 25, 2022
Disgruntled fans and even players like Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev demanded ESL move IEM Rio Major to a football stadium that could accommodate more of the Brazilian and international fans. In response to the petition, the Athletico Paranaense football club offered up their stadium to ESL. The Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães, also known as Arena da Baixada, is not located in Rio de Janeiro where the major is supposed to take place. It does however boast a 42,000 person maximum capacity.
This led to other Brazilian arenas and stadiums following suit, offering their buildings for the IEM Rio Major. One of the most popular suggestions was the famous Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately for fans, scheduling conflicts make it an unlikely option.
Football stadium or I’m not going @ESLCS @CSGO
— Sasha (@s1mpleO) May 25, 2022
Any fans still looking to secure a ticket can sign up for ticket availability updates on ESL’s website.
ESL did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
