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There’s evidence that The International 8 is moving up and heading north to Vancouver.
The potential lead for a new site was first picked up by Reddit moderator Decency, who caught the colorful imagery scrolling in the background of a news short:
TI8 in Vancouver at Rogers Arena next year? #TI8 #TheInternational pic.twitter.com/NAkMEtcjSz
— Chris (@heyDecency) October 12, 2017
Indeed, the clip in question is very real and can be found on the TSN site. In it, the sports reporter appears to be talking from within Vancouver's Rogers Arena. (For the record, neither team in question is from the United States, much less Seattle.)
There has been unease about TI’s staying power at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington, its current site, after the town announced plans to renovate the arena. While the plans were set to be announced in September, there are delays due to criminal allegations against the town’s mayor, which may push back the Key Arena’s availability.
The International is no stranger to change, though. Its first iteration was in 2011 at GamesCom in Europe, where fans found themselves sitting on the floor to watch the best DotA: All-Stars players try out the new Dota 2 client. It then moved to Benaroya Hall in Seattle, the current hometown, which kept the intimate feel, but TI outgrew itself quickly.
In 2014, the massive tournament drove across town to the KeyArena, where it’s taken place for four years now, including this year's $24 million iteration.
The move to Canada was also suggested by fans after the current United States's government was on-boarded. Fans had fears over immigration and visa restrictions, as TI participants have traditionally issues with visa approvals.
Luckily, only one player from Team Empire saw such issues at TI7. Still, with Canada's relatively friendly processes, fans may have a bit more optimism come this summer.