Worlds: Groups Survival Guide

TL;DR:

• The Group Stage takes place on September 29-October 2 and October 6-9 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
• 16 teams will compete in Groups and the match schedule is available here.
• On September 29, there will be an opening ceremony at 4:00 PM PT followed by the first game of Groups, G2 vs. CLG. 
• Doors open at 1:00 PM for Week 1 and during Week 2, doors open at 1:00 PM on October 6-7 and 10:00 AM October 8-9 for pre-game activities and the Riftwalk.

The countdown to the 2016 World Championship is here. To begin Worlds 2016, we’ll be heading to San Francisco for two weeks of the Group Stage where 16 teams will begin their journeys to toward the Summoner’s Cup.

Read on for everything you need to know about attending Groups:

Getting There

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Photo: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

How do I get to Bill Graham Civic Auditorium?

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is located at 99 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Driving:

North on Interstate 101.

Take the Civic Center exit to 9th Street.

Travel north on 9th.

This street turns into Larkin Street as it crosses Market Street.

Take Larkin 1 block to Grove Street.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is on your left.

Via the Bay Bridge.

Take the Civic Center exit to 9th Street.

Travel north on 9th.

This street turns into Larkin Street as it crosses Market Street.

Take Larkin one block to Grove Street. Turn left on Grove.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is on your left.

Via the Golden Gate Bridge.

Take the Lombard Street exit to Van Ness Ave.

Turn right on Van Ness and travel south to Grove Street.

This will be approximately two miles.

Turn left on Grove St.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is on your right.

Public Transportation:

Via BART, Muni or Metro.

Exit at the Civic Center Station.

Once in the Station exit to the U.N. Plaza.

Once in the plaza, walk to Hyde Street.

Turn left 1/2 block onto Grove.

Continue two blocks on Grove.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is on your left.

Via CalTrain.

From the Caltrain Station (Fourth & Townsend).

Across Fourth Street from the station, catch the #42 bus.

The bus will eventually proceed to and along Van Ness Avenue.

Disembark at Van Ness and Hayes Streets.

Walk West on Hayes (away from Van Ness).

Turn left on Polk St. and right on Grove St.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on your right.

Directions courtesy of Ticketmaster.

Where do I pick up tickets?

Fans may pick up tickets at the Box Office.

What To Do

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When should I show up?

Doors open for the Riftwalk and pre-show activities at the following local times (PT):

Week 1:

September 29-October 2: 1:00 PM

Week 2:

October 6-October 7: 1:00 PM

October 8-October 9: 10:00 AM

Doors open for the auditorium at the following times:

Week 1:

September 29-October 2: 3:00 PM

Week 2:

October 6-October 7: 3:00 PM

October 8-October 9: 12:00 PM

What games are being played?

During the Week 1, there will be 6 games per day with 3 of the 4 groups playing on September 29-October 2.

In Week 2, there will also be 6 games per day but 1 group plays per day with the possibility of tiebreakers immediately after the scheduled games on October 6-9.

For the Groups match schedule, head over to our Worlds 2016 schedule page.  

When does the event start?

The event begin at following local times (PT):

Week 1:

September 29-October 2: 4:00 PM

Week 2:

October 6-October 7: 4:00 PM

October 8-October 9: 1:00 PM

What will be happening before the event?

We’ll have a variety of pre-show activities inside the venue including Riftwalk, photo ops, temporary tattoos, and more.

What’s the Riftwalk? Is it on-site? When is it open?

The Riftwalk is an immersive, interactive journey through League’s history, showcasing memorable moments from the last six years, beloved community contributors, and the community that’s made it all possible.

The Riftwalk will be inside the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium at the Group Stage. A valid Groups ticket is required and there won’t be separate tickets for the experience. If you’re attending Groups, you’ll be able to visit the Riftwalk at the following times:

Week 1: 

September 29-October 2: Doors open at 1:00 PM PT for Riftwalk and line will be capped at 3:00 PM.

Week 2:

October 6-October 7: Doors open at 1:00 PM PT for Riftwalk and line will be capped at 3:00 PM.

October 8-October 9: Doors open at 10:00 AM PT for Riftwalk and line will be capped at noon.

What To Bring

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Can I bring a camera? Can I take photos / videos at the event?

We encourage photos and videos from your seat but leave monopods, professional lenses, selfie sticks, tripods, and large rigs at home. Generally, anything that can block the view or disrupt the experience of the others around you is a no-go.

Any photos taken are for personal use only and may not be sold, licensed or distributed.

What items are not allowed inside the arena?

Anything that can distract the players or interrupt the event will not be allowed in the arena including air horns, vuvuzelas, beach balls, laser pointers, etc. All final decisions on items entering the facility shall be at the sole discretion of Riot, event security and the local police department.

Will there be swag at the event?

Yes, we will be tossing out swag before and after each match.

Will there be food and alcohol for sale during the event?

Yes, concessions and alcohol will be available for purchase.

Is re-entry available?

Once you exit the venue, you cannot re-enter.

Can I bring my own food / drink?

Outside food is not allowed inside the venue.

Where can I smoke?

There are designated smoking areas outside of the venue.

Can I bring a backpack?

You can bring a backpack, small personal bags, or baby bags into the building. All bags are subject to search before being allowed into Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

Large bags or luggage are not permitted inside the venue so please make other arrangements.

Are signs and banners allowed? Will there be a place where I can make my own?

Signs and banners are allowed as long as they do not exceed 22x 28 (standard poster board) and do not obstruct other attendees. Guests whose signs or banners frequently obstruct others will be asked to put them away by event staff. All signs are subject to review by event staff and any signs that are deemed offensive or inappropriate will be confiscated and not returned.

Is there a coat check? Can I check my bags or luggage?

There is no coat or bag check for Worlds.

My friend wants to come to Groups now, can I still get tickets?

Limited tickets are still available for the Group Stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium via Ticketmaster.

Groups and Stakes

What’s on the line at the Group Stage?

During the Group Stage, teams are playing to advance to the second part of the tournament, the Knockout Stage.

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At the Knockout Stage, the tournament moves to Best of 5, single elimination bracket. The top two teams from each group will advance to Quarterfinals in Chicago.

Teams are fighting not only to advance but also for seeding in the Knockout Stage as second seed teams will have to face-off against first seed teams from another group.

The Knockout Stage bracket will be randomized live after Group Stage concludes on Sunday, October 9.

What Group is SKT in? How about TSM?

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How were the Groups decided again?

The Groups were determined during a live Group Draw Show. Learn more about the draw with our Group Draw Guide and watch the VOD of the live show here.

Cosplay​

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Is there a cosplay entrance?

No, all cosplayers will enter through the main gates.

What is the cosplay policy?

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium Cosplay Rules:

• All final decisions on costumes entering the facility shall be at the sole discretion of event staff, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium security, and the San Francisco Police Department.
• Your costume must be not be wider than 4 feet across, longer than 6 feet, or taller than 8 feet. Additionally, you must be able to easily maneuver your costume over stairs or ramps unassisted. You must also be able to sit in your seat while wearing your costume. There is no re-entry policy so if you leave to take off your costume, you will not be able to return to the venue.
• You must have unobstructed vision at all times (i.e., must not need to remove a piece of your costume in order to see).
• Armor cannot pose a threat to others by way of sharpened metal edges, spikes, or bladed surfaces.
• All swords or bladed weapons must be blunt-edged and cannot have a sharpened edge (no metallic or predominantly wooden weapons). No weapon may be sharp or pointy enough to cut or pierce someone with moderate pressure, or heavy enough to create a threatening club. Note: Worbla will be permitted, pending that it follows the above weapon restrictions.
• You may not bring firearms of any kind including air guns or cap guns, as well as any replica weapon (i.e., facsimiles or realistic versions of real-world weapons). Any firearm must be clearly of prop nature, and cosplayers will be responsible for proving that any potential firearm is non-dischargeable.
• Any bow-type weapons must be unstrung or strung with a low-tensile thread. All prop arrows must have non-metal, blunted tips.
• You may not include liquids, gels, or other substances which could cause a mess. (This will be at the discretion of San Francisco Police Department, Riot, and/or event staff).
• You may not use smoke effects, fire, explosives, or any other environmental hazard in any capacity.
• You may display your prop weapons only as costume pieces. Do not swing or brandish your prop in any way that could be considered unsafe or threatening.
• You may pose with a prop in a brandishing manner, so long as no reasonable person would interpret for anything other than dramatic effect. Event staff, security, or management may stop you at their sole discretion.
• All attendees who have prop weapons need to be verified and inspected by event security when they arrive. Attendees whose costume weapons have been approved will be tagged and cataloged.

As a final note, everyone attending Worlds 2016 will need to have a ticket in order to enter the event.

Please let us know if you have any additional cosplay questions, reach out to Jynx (@RiotJynx) on Twitter.

If you have any additional questions about the Group Stage, let us know in the comments.

Don't miss the opening ceremony of the 2016 World Championship on Thursday, September 29 at 4:00 PM PT followed by CLG vs. G2.