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|Jack Etienne, founder of [[Cloud9]] (eSports team){{r|Industry: first UK}}
|Jack Etienne, founder of [[Cloud9]] (eSports team){{r|Industry: first UK}}
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|'''Los Angeles Gladiators'''<ref>{{Cite news|url=hhttps://dotesports.com/overwatch/overwatch-la-gladiators-kroenke-18425|title=The LA Gladiators are Los Angeles' second Overwatch League team|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=2017-11-02|work=Dot Esports|access-date=2017-11-02|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en-US}}</ref>
|'''Los Angeles Gladiators'''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/overwatch-la-gladiators-kroenke-18425|title=The LA Gladiators are Los Angeles' second Overwatch League team|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=2017-11-02|work=Dot Esports|access-date=2017-11-02|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en-US}}</ref>
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]]}}
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]]}}
|[[Kroenke Sports & Entertainment]], who control [[Arsenal F.C.]], the [[Los Angeles Rams]] (American football), and the [[Denver Nuggets]] (basketball){{r|Industry: first UK}}
|[[Kroenke Sports & Entertainment]], who control [[Arsenal F.C.]], the [[Los Angeles Rams]] (American football), and the [[Denver Nuggets]] (basketball){{r|Industry: first UK}}

Revision as of 20:48, 2 November 2017

Overwatch League
File:Overwatch League logo.png
SportOverwatch
Founded2017
Owner(s)Blizzard Entertainment
Continents
Related
competitions		Overwatch Contenders
Official websiteoverwatchleague.com

The Overwatch League is a professional eSports league for the video game Overwatch. During Blizzcon 2016, Blizzard announced their plans for the league, using an organization of permanent teams in league placements similar to more traditional physical sports in the United States,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] rather than the use of relegation and promotion used in a series like League of Legends Championship Series.[9]

Format

The Overwatch League will play out similar to most professional sports leagues, rather than following other eSports leagues.[1] The League currently features twelve teams. In its inaugural season, a series of pre-season games will be played in December 2017, regular season games played from January to June 2018, and then a playoff for the championship in July 2018. All games in the first season will take place at the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles, though later Blizzard plans to implement home/away team formats similar to professional leagues.[10]

History

At Blizzcon[1] in early November 2016, Kotick and Activision Blizzard announced the creation of an Overwatch League, where franchised teams hire Overwatch gamers to compete in live arenas and via video streaming.[11][1] Rather than following the format of other eSports that use relegation and promotion as in the League of Legends Championship Series, Blizzard wanted to follow the American model used in more traditional physical sports,[1][9] Asserting that "nothing like this has ever really been done before" in relation to eSports,[1] Kotick described Overwatch League as a professional sports league[1] providing salaries and benefits for competitors.[11] He also described teams based out of various cities worldwide and owners required to "cultivate team and player development."[1]

Blizzard will help organize potential team owners and aim to include more geographically-local teams to participate, which they hope will help spark more interest in eSports from spectators and potential sponsors through new activities around supporting a local team. A meeting for prospective team owners was held at Blizzcon 2016 after League's announcement, with New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft, and Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke among the attendees.[11]

Blizzard anticipates the Overwatch League will have a seven-figure payoff for the winning team at the end of a season, but plans on paying a salary to all players within the league. The first, shortened season of the League was expected to start in Q3 2017, with full seasons starting in 2018, with the League having half-year long seasonal breaks starting in Q4 of that year.[9] Prior to starting the League, Blizzard plans to run a "combine," where players are invited to try out for guaranteed team contracts.[12] Players that are selected for the League would be assured a minimum $50,000 annual salary with health and retirement benefits, as well as housing and training support, and Blizzard required teams to split at least 50% of the season bonuses among the team's players, stating that at least $3.5 million in such bonuses will be available in the first season.[13]

Blizzard also plans to operate Overwatch Contenders, considered a minor league to the Overwatch League, as to allow the professional teams to scout for new players. In its inaugural season, "Season Zero", teams from North America and European regions can sign up and participate, and will eventually narrow down to eight teams from each region in a tournament-style playoff. Subsequent seasons will have these teams face off in a regular series of games. Further seasons would be expanded to include other regions such as Asia.[14]

In May 2017, ESPN reported that the League had been having difficulties in signing franchises, which ESPN ascribed to two issues. The first was the high base cost of starting a franchise, starting at $20 million with higher costs in more urban markets like New York City and Los Angeles, and much higher than other eSports league buy-ins. Second, there would be no revenue sharing until 2021, making recovery of the franchise costs difficult.[15]

The first seven teams were revealed in July 2017, and additional teams announced in the months following.[16] With its first twelve teams set by mid-December, Blizzard announced that its first season will run from January to June 2018, with a pre-season in December 2017 and a championship tournament in July 2018.[10] Just prior to this, Blizzard announced it had acquired a former facility at The Burbank Studios in Burbank, California which it converted into the "Blizzard Arena", an eSports venue which will be used initially for both the Overwatch Contenders and the Overwatch League games, and eventually into other Blizzard eSports.[17]

In July 2017, it was discovered that the Major League Baseball association had issued a trademark dispute for the logo that Blizzard registered for the League, stating in their complaint to the United States Patent and Trademark Office that they felt Blizzard's logo was too similar to their own and may cause confusion.[18]

Teams

Twelve teams, each based in a global city, will compete in the League's inaugural 2018 season:[19]

Team[20] City Owner
Boston Uprising[21] United States Boston Kraft Group,[21] owner of the New England Patriots (American football team)[22]
Dallas Fuel[21] United States Dallas Team Envy (eSports organization)[23]
Houston Outlaws[24] United States Houston OpTic Gaming (eSports team)[23]
London Spitfire[25] United Kingdom London Jack Etienne, founder of Cloud9 (eSports team)[26]
Los Angeles Gladiators[27] United States Los Angeles Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, who control Arsenal F.C., the Los Angeles Rams (American football), and the Denver Nuggets (basketball)[26]
Los Angeles Valiant[21] United States Los Angeles Noah Whinston, CEO of Immortals (eSports team)[22]
Florida Mayhem[28] United States Miami–Orlando Ben Spoont, CEO of Misfits (eSports team)[22]
New York Excelsior[29] United States New York City Jeff Wilpon, COO of the New York Mets (baseball team)[22]
Philadelphia Fusion[30] United States Philadelphia Comcast Spectacor, owner of the Philadelphia Flyers (ice hockey)[23]
San Francisco Shock[21] United States San Francisco Andy Miller, chairman of NRG eSports (eSports team)[22]
Seoul Dynasty[31] South Korea Seoul Kevin Chou[22] of North American video game company Kabam[26]
Shanghai Dragons[21] China Shanghai NetEase, Chinese internet company and Blizzard regional partner[22]

Season 1

Pre-season play for the inaugural season will begin December 6, 2017. The official season begins January 10 and continues through June 2018 playoffs and July finals. Teams will play in the new Blizzard Arena, based in Los Angeles, though Blizzard hopes that teams will travel to compete in each others' home cities in future seasons.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Molina, Brett (November 5, 2016). "Blizzard to launch pro sports league for 'Overwatch'". USA Today. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  2. ^ "Blizzard's Overwatch eSports league to emphasise financial stability". GamesIndustry.biz. November 7, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  3. ^ "The Overwatch League: A Tournament Frenzy?". Gamerpors.co. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  4. ^ Webster, Andrew (November 4, 2016). "Blizzard is launching an ambitious new Overwatch league for pros". The Verge. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  5. ^ "Overwatch League is Blizzard's eSports incubator". Engadget.com. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  6. ^ "Blizzard plans 'Overwatch' league with video game fans". SFGate. November 12, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  7. ^ Donnelly, Joe. "Blizzard to launch Overwatch League in 2017". PC Gamer. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  8. ^ Mike Minotti (November 4, 2016). "Blizzard's Overwatch League looks a lot like an actual sport | VentureBeat | Esports | by Mike Minotti". VentureBeat. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c Kollar, Philip (November 4, 2016). "Overwatch League is Blizzard's ambitious new esports org, includes city-based teams". Polygon. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Chalk, Andy (September 20, 2017). "Overwatch League adds final three teams in Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia". PC Gamer. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  11. ^ a b c Bond, Paul (November 4, 2016). "Activision Blizzard to Create eSports League for 'Overwatch' Video Game". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  12. ^ "Blizzard Entertainment Establishes Professional Sports League for Overwatch". Press release - Activision Blizzard. November 4, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  13. ^ Kim, Matt (July 26, 2017). "Do You Want to be a Pro Overwatch Player? Here's How Much You Could Make". US Gamer. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  14. ^ Minotti, Mike (May 22, 2017). "Overwatch's esports is getting a minor league". Venture Beat. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  15. ^ Wolf, Jacob (May 10, 2017). "Sources: Teams hesitant to buy into Overwatch League due to high cost, undesirable contract terms". ESPN. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  16. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (July 12, 2017). "Blizzard announces first Overwatch League teams and owners, including Robert Kraft and Jeff Wilpon". The Verge. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  17. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (September 7, 2017). "Blizzard opening dedicated esports production facility". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  18. ^ Saed, Sharif (July 19, 2017). "Major League Baseball could oppose Blizzard's logo trademark for Overwatch League because it believes they're too similar". VG247. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  19. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (September 20, 2017). "Overwatch League finalizes season 1 teams". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  20. ^ Mejia, Ozzie (October 25, 2017). "A Guide to the 12 Overwatch League Teams". Shacknews. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  21. ^ a b c d e f Marshall, Cass (October 25, 2017). "Boston Uprising joins the Overwatch League". Heroes Never Die. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Gartenberg, Chaim (July 12, 2017). "Blizzard announces first Overwatch League teams and owners, including Robert Kraft and Jeff Wilpon". The Verge. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  23. ^ a b c d Chalk, Andy (September 20, 2017). "Overwatch League adds final three teams in Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia". PC Gamer. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  24. ^ "Introducing the Houston Outlaws, the Official Overwatch League™ Team from OpTic Gaming". Finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  25. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (November 1, 2017). "Cloud9's Overwatch League team is the London Spitfire". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 1, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  26. ^ a b c Handrahan, Matthew (August 10, 2017). "Overwatch League adds first UK franchise". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  27. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (November 2, 2017). "The LA Gladiators are Los Angeles' second Overwatch League team". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 2, 2017. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  28. ^ "Introducing Florida Mayhem". overwatchleague.com. November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  29. ^ Goslin, Austen (October 30, 2017). "New York Excelsior revealed as newest Overwatch League team". Heroes Never Die. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  30. ^ "Philadelphia Flyers owner Comcast Spectacor unveils its Overwatch League team—Philadelphia Fusion". Dotesports.com. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  31. ^ "Dynasty revealed as Seoul's Overwatch League team name". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
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