Forget Harry Styles. Riot Games is one of LA’s biggest stars headlining the Kia Forum

The eSports Riot Games Valorant Champions Tournament was held at Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA on Aug 25, 2023. About 9,000 were present for the lower bracket final. The next day's finals saw a crowd of about 12,000. — Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service

LOS ANGELES: The roar of cheering fans echoed across the Kia Forum as singers took the stage beneath glimmering lights and flashes of flame to perform a dramatic opening act.

But the thousands gathered in Inglewood over the weekend weren’t screaming for Sam Smith or Harry Styles – they were cheering for professional esports players.