LG: LAN Parties/Events seem to have peaked and numbers have seem to have slack off with more LAN Centers opening, more folks waiting for bigger and league gaming, more console gaming and MMORPGs (WoW), and more people having high speed internet at home. I have been to ECL in the past, June 2003. I believe there were 350 people at that time. How are things holding up since then? What are you all doing to keep people coming back and attracting gamers to ECL?

ECL: Things are holding up great. We continue to have a big turn out at each event. As far as getting people to come back, that really depends on what the industry is doing at the time. We like to stick true to what made us in the first place (counter strike), but in the same respect we have to play what everyone wants to play EG: Quake UT CS:S. We are also starting to reach out to the console community. We feel they deserve to have the same great LAN experience that we offer to everyone else.

LG: Counter strike was huge at the event I went to in 2003. It was almost intimidating to see everyone playing counterstrike when my group and I showed up. We see a big banner on ECL.com with $8000 in prizes. Does CS remain to be a big draw at ECL? $8000 only for CS? Are you guy’s sick of CS? Why do you think it has remained so popular for this long?

ECL: It's true Counter Strike has a cult following and is still the biggest draw to our event. As far as being sick of it, I would have to say no. I myself do not play the game. But it's crazy to watch everyone so committed to the game. Some of the teams we draw play as though it were a football game and we really enjoy being able to offer that to the Counter Strike Community. The $8000 dollar prize pot is the biggest payout we have done thus far. You will notice that we have moved away from our normal format of CS 1.6 and have moved to CS:S We felt that it was time to give the Source Community a chance to play and also show the world that Source is not going away.

LG: Langaming.net's goal is to bring LANs/LAN Centers together to help one another. Any advice for the basement gamers thinking about starting a public event?

ECL: DEDICATION! If you don’t have massive amounts of dedication then you will never get off the starting line. We have seen so many start up lans come and go. And one of the biggest reasons for that is because these guys think they will offer one great big prize pot and then BAM they will be the next CPL. Take your time people! start off small, wade the waters a bit and see what the gamers want, not what you want. Without the support of the community no one showing up to your events you have nothing!

LG: Video Game Olympics. We know there are Leagues (MLG etc) but to me, that is more like the NFL and NBA. What are your thoughts on a Video Game type Olympics? Maybe something like smaller events and LAN centers qualifying gamers, large events holding Nationals and so one, just like the real Olympics.

ECL: We have mixed emotions on this topic. I myself feel like its finally time the Gamers around the world get to showcase there talent in huge venues. Hell I remember when I was about 12 and playing Quakeworld Team Fortress, me and my clan mates would always joke about how FSP Gaming was the next Olympic sport. So it was kinda nice when we finally got our dues. But at the same time, I feel like the way this is happing that most of these huge leagues did not really think about the smaller guys and how we helped pretty much start what they are trying to take over. In some ways no LAN event will ever be able to offer what those guys are offering and it really takes a toll on the smaller guy who is trying to do a start up and get the support of the sponsors and the gamers. With the way things are going now, most people are going to expect that we put up 50k in cash/prizes and that we MUST have PC's for the gamers. The truth is, it’s really not that easy. If I had millions to spend on my event you better believe I would.

Thanks again to ECL for the interview. The Summer LAN is coming up soon. Visit them at http://www.eastcoastlan.com and register for the big $8000 CS:S purse.