In his session at The Arenas Operators and Developers World Summit on 10 February, Pilfalk will demystify what arenas really need to succeed in esports: reliable IT infrastructure, smart partnerships, and community engagement. His message is clear: treat gaming events like any other – they’re here to stay.

You’ve overseen DreamHack festivals across multiple continents. What fundamentally distinguishes an arena that succeeds in esports from one that struggles to adapt?

“I would say IT infrastructure – that might be the most important thing to have as a venue. It doesn’t need to be too costly or complicated, but it needs to be very reliable. Some venues believe they need to be experts in esports, which is not the case. Focus on the IT structure and you’ll be fine.”

Esports events place very different technical and operational demands on venues compared to traditional sports or concerts. What are the most common gaps you see arenas need to address?

“It’s not too far from a sport or a concert, I would say. IT is still the main part – IT structure and back-of-house space are key to success. Roof rigging is also important for esports events.”

With DreamHack Birmingham 2026 on the horizon, what makes a host city and venue truly attractive for a world-class gaming festival?

“Accessibility and a good hotel offer, just like any other convention or congress. Venue pricing is of course highly important as well. We also carry out due diligence to find out if the area or country has a strong gaming community or connection to the gaming industry.”

Community is at the heart of esports culture. How can arenas go beyond simply hosting tournaments to become year-round hubs for gaming communities?

“Offer space for local tournaments and by doing so, promote the venue as a go-to place for gamers who want to meet in real life. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just offer free or cheap space during downtime for the venue.”

From a commercial standpoint, what revenue models or partnerships have proven most effective for venues hosting large-scale esports festivals like DreamHack?

“Long-term relationships that are win-win for both parties. It’s great to save time not renegotiating contracts for months each year, and when we get to know each other, things run smoothly. We’ve been in Dallas for six years and in Atlanta for eight. We’re organising our third show in Stockholm by the end of this year, and both parties save loads of time since we know each other so well.”

Future-proofing is a key theme for arena operators today. How should developers be thinking about flexibility, infrastructure, and technology to remain competitive in the esports space over the next decade?

“First of all, stop thinking that esports is a money well. Our industry faces the same problem as all live events – the happy days are over when publishers threw marketing money at esports. Treat gaming events just like any other event, because they are here to stay. We keep growing and growing, and younger generations actually prefer gaming events over music festivals, which hurts a music fan like myself, but that’s the truth.

Why is now the right time for arena owners to invest seriously in esports, and what can they expect to gain from attending your session?

“I hope they gain insight into our world and understand it’s nothing to be afraid of. If you do what you’re best at – running venues – we will do what we’re best at – running esports events. And we are very nice people, easy to deal with!”

The Arenas Operators and Developers World Summit will be hosted at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, from 10-11 February 2026. Book your delegate pass today by clicking here.