Esports production company BLAST has secured Meet Boston as the official destination partner for the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Major of the 2026 season, bringing the city’s convention and tourism bureau on board for the four-day arena event later this month.
The partnership sees the region’s tourism marketing organisation integrated across the RLCS Boston Major broadcast and on-site footprint. With the tournament expected to draw thousands of attendees to the Agganis Arena, the deal is designed to position Boston as a premier destination for esports events while driving out-of-state visitation and overnight stays.
As part of the agreement, Meet Boston will receive prominent digital and physical branding assets including in-broadcast advertisements, printed backdrops, and sponsored on-site activation areas.
In a press release, James Woollard, VP Destinations & Market Development at BLAST, said the partnership was intended to build on Boston’s existing track record of hosting major events. “With a proven track record of hosting world-class sporting and entertainment events, partnering with Meet Boston allows us to showcase the city to a global audience while creating lasting value for the local economy and community,” he said, highlighting the growing participation of BLAST in the U.S following the opening of a local office in 2025.
Meet Boston President & CEO Martha J. Sheridan highlighted the continuation of the organisation’s relationship with BLAST. “We are thrilled to once again work with BLAST to host the RLCS 2026 Boston Major, which will be the first Major of the new season.
“BLAST esports events captivate a global audience, driving world-wide viewership along with critical out-of-state visitation and overnight stays. Boston has a proven track record of executing esports events seamlessly and successfully, including previous Major events at Agganis Arena. We are excited to grow our partnership with BLAST to include a comprehensive array of integrated marketing and broadcast opportunities,” Sheridan said.
The partnership between BLAST and Meet Boston reflects a growing trend of convention and tourism bureaux aligning with esports properties to drive visitation and brand exposure. Visit Raleigh previously served as official destination partner for the RLCS Raleigh Major in 2025. The North Carolina bureau later published a collaborative article with The Esports Radar outlining its strategic approach to esports sponsorship, with representatives highlighting the regional economic impact of hosting Major events.
Recently, BLAST also invited cities to submit expressions of interest to host events across its portfolio in 2027 and 2028, which includes titles such as Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Dota 2, Fortnite, Rocket League, Rainbow Six, and Brawl Stars.
Taking place from February 19-22 on the Boston University campus, the RLCS 2026 Boston Major will host 16 of the world’s best Rocket League teams competing for a $354,000 prize pool. The event marks the first Major of the new competitive calendar.
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