Qin Feng's announcement of "all-inclusive travel and accommodation, with prizes for all top 32 teams" was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves in both the player community and the industry.
Praise was endless, pushing the reputation of the league of legends National Tournament and Riot Games to new heights.
However, the external cheers and excitement, for Riot Games internally, meant an overwhelming amount of concrete work and immense pressure to not fail.
Making promises is easy, but perfectly fulfilling them, especially within such a short period, and properly arranging the travel and accommodation for thirty-two teams from all over the country, with nearly two hundred players and related personnel (including substitutes and coaches, estimated at 6-7 people per team) with varying circumstances, is undoubtedly an extremely complex system engineering task.
This tests not only financial resources but also extremely meticulous organizational coordination abilities and proactive risk assessment capabilities.
The day after the announcement, Qin Feng personally took charge and convened a special meeting for the logistics support of the National Grand Finals.
Attendees included the Administrative Director, Financial Director, Esports Operations Manager Zhao Dong, Technical Manager Li Ming, and the head of the newly formed offline event execution team.
The atmosphere in the conference room was serious and focused; everyone knew that any slight oversight could destroy all previous efforts and reputation.
"The promise has been made; now what we need to do is ensure every detail is foolproof," Qin Feng stated directly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
"This is not ordinary business hospitality; we are serving esports warriors who have emerged after countless hardships, the focus of countless players' attention.
Our work will directly affect the players' competitive state and the final presentation of the tournament."
He first clarified the core principles: "All arrangements must adhere to four major principles: fairness, uniformity, safety, and comfort.
There must be no differences in treatment due to teams coming from different regions or varying in fame.
At the same time, we must maximize player safety, reduce external interference, and allow them to focus on the game."
Next, the meeting moved into the substantive planning stage, with topics divided into three main areas: accommodation, transportation, and on-site security and logistics.
The Administrative Director first reported on several preliminary hotel options.
"Considering geographical location, transportation convenience, hardware facilities, and overall environment, we lean towards choosing a newly opened four-star hotel near the Olympic Sports Center.
It is within a 15-minute drive of the Capital Gymnasium, which can effectively reduce players' travel time."
"Will the entire hotel be booked?" Qin Feng asked.
"Yes, Mr. Qin. We plan to completely book the entire hotel during the tournament period as the 'Official Designated Player Hotel,'" the Administrative Director replied affirmatively.
"This has several advantages: First, it's secure and enclosed, which can effectively prevent disorderly disturbances from external fans and media, creating a quiet environment for players to rest and prepare.
Second, it's easy to manage; all teams residing together makes it convenient for us to uniformly arrange meals, meetings, temporary notices, etc.
Third, it can foster a team atmosphere; although they are competitors, living under the same roof can also promote communication among players from different regions."
"Room standards?"
"All will be standard twin rooms. Players will be two per room, while coaches and team leaders (if any) will have single rooms.
We have requested the hotel to provide high-speed and stable wired and wireless internet, which is vital for player training and review.
Additionally, hotel facilities such as the gym and laundry room will be freely available to players."
"What about catering?"
"The hotel's internal restaurant will provide three meals a day in buffet style.
The menu will be jointly drafted by us and a nutritionist to ensure balanced nutrition, health, and hygiene, avoiding spicy or irritating foods that might cause digestive discomfort.
Plenty of drinks and fruits will be provided.
Considering players might train late into the night, a late-night snack station will be set up."
Qin Feng nodded in approval: "Understood.
Details must be precise, such as rotating the menu daily to avoid monotony, and inquiring about and respecting the dietary habits of ethnic minority players.
Some public areas within the hotel, such as small meeting rooms, should be converted into temporary training rooms and tactical discussion rooms, equipped with power and network interfaces."
The most cumbersome part was that players would arrive in the Capital City from all over the country, using different modes of transportation, at different times.
"The transportation team has formulated a preliminary reception plan based on the location information provided by the thirty-two teams," Zhao Dong reported.
"Principle: 'point-to-point' transfers throughout.
From the player's departure station/airport to the official hotel; from the hotel to the competition venue; after the competition, from the venue/hotel back to the departure point."
"Specific measures:
1. Information Collection: Detailed itinerary information forms have been sent to all teams, requesting accurate arrival times, flight numbers, or train numbers.
We have assigned dedicated personnel to follow up one-on-one to ensure information accuracy.
2. Pick-up Arrangements: 'league of legends National Tournament Reception Desks' will be set up at Capital City International Airport, Nanyuan Airport, and several major train stations.
Staff and volunteers wearing uniform identification will be arranged, holding pick-up signs.
Based on arrival times, leased commercial vehicles or medium-sized buses will be dispatched to ensure players are picked up immediately upon arrival and taken directly to the hotel, avoiding getting lost or hassled in an unfamiliar city.
3. Daily Commute: During the tournament, fixed shuttle buses will be arranged daily to travel between the hotel and the Capital Gymnasium.
Departure times will be strictly matched with the competition schedule to ensure players have ample preparation time.
4. Emergency Plan: A small number of backup vehicles will be prepared to handle emergencies such as flight delays or sudden illnesses.
All drivers have undergone strict screening and safety training."
Qin Feng added: "The etiquette training for pick-up personnel must be thorough, so they make players feel the warmth and respect of the official organizers.
Vehicle interiors should be kept clean, and bottled water and simple snacks can be prepared.
Remember, many of them are visiting the Capital City for the first time; we are the hosts."
The offline Grand Finals are expected to attract tens of thousands of spectators, creating immense security pressure.
Li Ming and the technical team are responsible for technical support within the venue, while the offline event execution team needs to work closely with the venue operator and professional security company.
"We have already held three coordination meetings with the Capital Gymnasium security department and a top third-party security company," the executive head reported.
"Flow Planning: Strict personnel flow lines have been designed.
Players, staff, spectators, and media will enter through different entrances, with completely separate flows to avoid cross.
Player Channels: Dedicated, enclosed player channels and lounges will be provided, guarded by assigned personnel, with no unauthorized entry.
This ensures players are undisturbed before and after matches.
On-site Order: Security patrols will be increased within the venue, especially in key areas such as spectator stands and entrances/exits.
Detailed emergency plans will be formulated, including for fire, power outages, crowd disturbances, and sudden illnesses.
Equipment Assurance: Competition computers, keyboards, mice, headsets, and other peripherals will be uniformly provided by us and rigorously tested in advance to ensure fairness and stability.
The game server will be set up within the venue, and Li Ming's team will be stationed there throughout to ensure zero latency and zero lag.
Medical and Psychological Support: A medical station will be set up on-site, staffed with medical personnel and common medicines.
Additionally, considering the psychological impact of high-pressure competition on players, we have hired a sports psychology consultant who can provide counseling to players in need at any time."
Qin Feng listened carefully to each report, occasionally asking more detailed questions: "What about the environment of the player lounges? How is the soundproofing? Are there any stress-relief facilities prepared, such as massage chairs or board games?"
"We will redecorate the lounges to ensure they are comfortable and quiet, with soundproofing up to standard.
We will immediately procure and arrange the stress-relief facilities you mentioned."
"What are the security check standards for audience entry? The list of prohibited items must be clearly displayed, especially items like laser pointers that could affect the game."
"A detailed list has been created and will be communicated to the audience in advance through official channels."
The meeting lasted an entire afternoon, meticulously scrutinizing every detail, from the comfort of players' pillows to the speed of backup power switching.
Qin Feng knew that in esports competitions, especially offline Grand Finals, victory often hinges on tiny margins; a comfortable environment, stable equipment, and a smooth state of mind could all influence the final performance.
After the meeting, the vast Riot Games machine began to operate at full speed around this detailed support plan.
The Administrative Department confirmed final contract details with the hotel; the Operations Department began contacting the thirty-two teams in groups to collect itinerary information; the Marketing Department started designing reception desk signage and welcome materials; and the execution team again went to the Capital Gymnasium for on-site surveys and process drills...
Qin Feng stood before the giant national map in his office, his gaze falling on the marked cities where the thirty-two teams were located.
From the northernmost ice city to the southernmost island, from the eastern seaports to the western frontiers, these scattered points would soon converge at the red coordinate of the Capital City through a network of transportation meticulously woven by Riot Games.
He seemed to already see, a month later, the relieved smiles of those young people with dreams as they stepped off planes and trains and saw the pick-up signs; he saw them making final preparations for the ultimate battle in the uniformly comfortable hotel; he saw them walking through the dedicated aisle towards the brightly lit stage...
Victory, is it only within the canyon?
This silent logistics support battle, happening outside the arena, was equally crucial.
Qin Feng wanted to ensure that when the players stepped onto the final battlefield, everything behind them was as solid as a rock.