Moreover, these events coincide with a lack of updates for Overwatch and the absence of any official Overwatch 2 release date. Many fear that the sponsorship pull-outs could be the final nail in the coffin for the Overwatch League, who were planning to implement a “home and away” model before the Covid pandemic. Of the three remaining sponsors – Teamspeak, Xfinity, and Coca-Cola, who are re-assessing their sponsorship currently – only Teamspeak currently has ads in recent broadcasts.Įven pro players are affected by this sponsorship change – Sado, the main tank infamous for drinking massive coke bottles, was seen chugging an unlabeled bottle of Brownish liquid this week. Shortly after, Kellog’s and State Farm confirmed their exit with official statements, while Xfinity, T-Mobile, and IBM withdrew silently. Then, on August 2nd, T-Mobile withdrew its sponsorship from the Overwatch League. On August 3rd, there were seven big sponsors of the Overwatch League, including big names such as State Farm, IBM, and Xfinity. NYXL will host its first-ever home matches in New York. Sponsors have been pulling out from Blizzard’s main Esports Franchise, the Overwatch League, ever since news of the lawsuit and work environment at Blizzard has surfaced. NEW YORK EXCELSIOR TO HOST 2020 OVERWATCH LEAGUE MATCHES AT MANHATTAN CENTERS HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM. For instance, a Chengdu Hunters player from China had his visa application rejected before the start of the current Overwatch League season.Amid recent turmoil, Blizzard employees are not the ones seeking to distance themselves from the gaming company. They might have to travel even further if the league expands beyond its current lineup of 20 teams next year.Īnnouncing the home city focus this far in advance should give teams plenty of time to prepare venues and address potential visa issues. Players may have to fly between three continents for their games, on top of what can be an intense training schedule.

Nanzer's announcement doesn't shed light on what next year's format will actually look like, however.

Taking pro Overwatch players on the road was always Blizzard's plan for its global eSports league, and 2020 had been reported as the target.

Thanks to all of our fans for your amazing support! We're super excited to see our original vision brought to life. The is coming home - and away! Starting in 2020, all Overwatch League teams will be playing in their home cities. In 2019, a few 'homestand' events will take place with teams competing in Dallas, Atlanta and LA (at a different venue). Last year's inaugural season took place entirely at the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles, save for the finals, which were held in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Overwatch League is going on the road next season, as all teams will be playing in their home cities, according to commissioner Nate Nanzer.

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