Cold Hands Esports Tournament

Cold Hands Collective is a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing the esports community in Calgary, with a focus on the Smash Bros and fighting game communities. 

We would like to put on an event that celebrates that community and brings a big audience to the esports scene in Calgary. Our past two larger scale events had 190 and 270 attendees respectively and we have the experience and resources to run an even bigger event next year. 

This would be a multiple day event hosted at a large events space and provide a premium experience for both professional gamers and casual participants. Examples of events like this would be battle of BC held each year in Vancouver which had over 1700 attendees in its most recent iteration. We would be aiming for between 400-500 attendees as we still need to build a reputation with the whole North American scene. This goal is very attainable with the right attention to putting on an excellent event.

To elevate the gameplay to the highest level possible and to make the event highly attractive for competitors, we intend to fly out top talent from across North America. This historically serves as a major incentive for people interested in competitive Smash Bros. and fighting games to travel and participate. To capitalize on this even further we would also be offering travel stipends to facilitate carpools from cities across Alberta and neighbouring provinces. 

One of the primary ways to solidify this tournament as a world-class event is through keen attention to the viewing experience. We will be bringing on a production crew to provide live streaming for multiple games simultaneously. The previous large events we've hosted have had hundreds or even thousands of concurrent viewers. Professional production services will enhance the experience for both those watching from home and for people attending in-person, conveying a level of polish that is closer to the expectations associated with established events such as Battle of BC. We hope that this event will be a launch point for us to eventually host events which can reach over 1000 attendees.

The date we've selected is a sample and not set in stone. This event will run in 2026 if we are able to get Field Law's support. 

Our idea will primarily benefit the Smash Bros. and fighting game communities in Alberta. Several groups are encompassed under this umbrella: the competitors who directly participate in the competition, spectators and more casual participants, as well as community vendors who can make use of the space to sell wares and fan-works

From a perspective of economic activity, other parties who benefit from our proposed idea would include contractors that we will hire for production, marketing and other needs, the venue that we select, and our own non-profit organization.

The nature of the benefit is different for each group.

Participants in our proposed event stand to gain the most direct benefits. For competitors, events like ours serve as an outlet for expression of skill; larger events are an opportunity to test their abilities that have been honed through years of practice and study. Competitors value the opportunity to compete against the most accomplished players in the province – and, if we secure funding for their transportation, some of the best players from all of North America.

Larger tournaments also serve as social meeting grounds where players can connect with peers from surrounding cities, rekindling old friendships or sparking new ones.

As we intend to live-stream tournament matches online, there will be a contingent of spectators from the wider Smash Bros. and fighting game communities around the world; hosting a prestigious and well-run tournament in Alberta will improve our regional community’s reputation in the eyes of the global community. This poses indirect economic benefit to the tourism and hospitality sectors, and more directly to the ongoing health of our nonprofit organization.