BLAST Pro Series - Ticket Sales open 2nd April! First time ever: World Class Counter-Strike live in Istanbul! On 23rd June 2018 BLAST Pro Series will bring the World Class Counter-Strike to Ülker Arena in Istanbul. In front of a completely packed arena, 6 of the best teams in the world will compete live on stage to win the iconic BLAST Pro Series Trophy and a share of the 250.000 dollars prize pool. Tickets go on sale on April 2nd. For the first time ever it will be possible to be a part of the electric atmosphere when the newest, most energetic and compact esports event comes to town, and BLAST Pro Series will bring the whole show from the international tour. The arena will be completely transformed to a state-of-the art digital battleground: From the iconic A-stage with 6 teams playing live on the same time over the monstrous set-up with multiple jumbo screens, hundreds of moving lights and amazing surround sounds to the event itself. It is live entertainment like you’ve never experienced before, it’s a first ever in Turkey and it’s some of the biggest stars esports have to offer: SK Gaming (world famous Brazilian team), FaZe Clan (Major finalists and number 1 in the world rankings), Astralis (Major winners 2017), Space Soldiers (Turkish Superstars), the Legendary Ninjas in Pyjamas and US based Cloud9; the winners of the first 2018 Major, including Turkish born Tarik in the line-up! Finn “Karrigan” Andersen, In-game Leader of the world’s number 1 FaZe Clan, will be on stage in Istanbul, and he looks forward to being a part of the tournament once again: - BLAST Pro Series is one of the most exciting events I’ve ever been to. It’s action-packed world class entertainment from the doors open to the confetti bonanza when the trophy is lifted. When we played in Copenhagen, we were blown away by the set-up and the way it was all set up to engage the audience. They created an insane atmosphere, and should I ever go to watch a live tournament as a fan, BLAST would certainly be up there among the favourites. It’s really, really intense, and I really want to lift that Golden A Trophy in Istanbul, Karrigan comments. Tarik ”tarik” Celik is thrilled to play a big tournament on Turkish ground for the first time ever: - I am so excited to bring my team mates to Istanbul to show them the city and introduce them to the amazing people there. Winning the Major was the biggest thing in my life, but being able to go and participate in an event like BLAST Pro Series in the country of my parents… It will be an amazing experience, and we will do everything to make the fans proud. We have never been to BLAST before, but from everything we’ve seen and heard it’s the best event you can imagine and we can’t wait to play on that stage in front of that audience! The tournament will be played on 22nd-23rd June with the decisive groups stage matches and Grand Finals played in Ülker Sports Arena on 23rd June. Tickets for the arena event on 23rd June will be available via www.Mobilet.com ​ ​ from 2nd April. Doors open at 12 noon, and the event is expected to end around 10pm. Tickets will include access to the event in Ülker Arena and the fun filled fan zone all day Saturday 23rd. More information on the event, programme and all activities will be announced over the coming weeks. FACTS: BLAST Pro Series is the most exciting new edition to the esports scene. In a new electrifying format, 6 of the best Counter-Strike teams in the world will play live on stage in front of a packed arena and millions watching online all over the world. BLAST Pro Series was launched in Copenhagen in 2017 and the cirquit will take the tournament to major cities around the world over the coming years. Istanbul is the first international host city to be announced. The event will be broadcasted live on global tv to an audience of an estimated 275 million households. The first event in Copenhagen broke all broadcasting records for Danish national TV, DR3, and surpassed the Olympics, the X Games and the Eurovision in the channel’s viewership. With a total of 5 million viewers, including over 2.5 million on Twitch, and a social media reach of more than 60 million, BLAST Pro Series is the most exciting new, international esports tournament. The event is created with the sole purpose of making the best possible live experience. No boring long breaks, complex gaming language and days of unclear scheduling. BLAST Pro Series is a compact, fast and well-organized tournament. It is an action-packed event where the audience get to see their international Counter-Strike idols play against each other in a fast-paced and engaging format. Bonus show matches and exciting arena entertainment will ensure an unforgettable experience for both core and new esport fans. For more information: www.blastproseries.com facebook.com/BLASTProSeries twitter.com/BLASTSeries Pictures, videos and further information: www.mynewsdesk.com/blastproseries ​ ​ RFRSH Entertainment is an esports marketing and media rights company working with a growing number of the ​ ​ best esports teams in the world - established organisations as well as a new crop of player-owned teams. RFRSH Entertainment owns and operates BLAST Pro Series. Contact: Steen Laursen, VP Communications & Brand: [email protected] RFRSH Entertainment: www.rfrsh.net ​ ​ Impact34 is a sports and entertainment marketing company based in Istanbul, Turkey. We specialise in bringing ​ together our clients and network from around the world and creating powerful innovative projects. We dream big, work hard and help our clients get the most out of their investments in sports and entertainment. Our team has a wealth of experience in delivering results worldwide. We offer consulting, communication and project management services. We work with brands to create powerful cooperations and connect with their audiences. We help athletes and artists increase their brand profiles and manage their careers. www.impact34.com Contact: Bettina Kuperman, CEO Impact34, [email protected] Ozan Aydemir, Founder Gaming in Turkey, [email protected] +90 530 239 58 47 .