I've gone to these events and sadly didn't qualify last two seasons (fingers crossed this season). SLG is still a super new experience so like a previous person mentioned, they're still working on improving their infrastructure (primarily the qualifying process) and expanding cities.
That said, it is definitely a drive because I believe most venues (if not all) are theaters, and they can only reserve times during the week. So you take into account the commute, game times, and inevitable delays (it's wifi connections between both cities), the actual competition can mean you get home pretty late DURING THE WEEK, which makes for rough next days at work and/or school.
Regardless, it is still a really neat experience and despite how I haven't personally played to represent my city, I have met a lot of cool local players that are now League friends. A lot of family and friends can watch the games as they rotate showing on the big screen in the theater. Definitely a great experience, especially to meet new local League players (and obviously to win).
I regularly play on my desktop but am lucky enough to also own a laptop. For those desktop players, you can always see about borrowing from a friend for a few nights if you do make it in.
Also, for any prospective players who are playing qualifiers now: always check to update your client before game days if possible. Any delays on either city's teams pushes the games back further.
