The Overwatch League™ Adds New Teams for London, Los Angeles
August 10 2017 - 3:01AM
Business Wire
Nine teams now announced for major cities in
Asia, Europe, North America
Cloud9, Stan and Josh Kroenke to build teams
for London and Los Angeles
The Overwatch League™ today announced its latest team
sales, with esports organization founder Jack Etienne of Cloud9
purchasing the team for London, and sports industry leaders Stan
and Josh Kroenke purchasing a team for Los Angeles.
The Overwatch League is the first major global professional
esports league with city-based teams, and will showcase world-class
competitive play in Blizzard Entertainment’s hit game Overwatch®.
Last month the League announced its first team sales to seven
leading entrepreneurs and organizations from traditional sports,
esports, and the technology sector, representing major global
cities from Boston to Shanghai. With today’s announcement, the
League now includes teams from Asia, Europe, and North America,
including two teams for Los Angeles.
“The Overwatch League continues to have great momentum,” said
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. “We’re thrilled to add Jack
Etienne of Cloud9 and Stan and Josh Kroenke of the Los Angeles
Rams, Arsenal Football Club, Denver Nuggets, and Colorado Avalanche
to our group of extraordinary Overwatch League owners around the
world. They will enhance our ability to celebrate and reward
players and fans in Los Angeles, London, and beyond.”
"Overwatch is a global game, with heroes - and players - from
around the world, so it's important to us that as many Overwatch
League fans as possible have local or regional teams to root for,"
said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment.
"In addition to broadening the competitive field for Season 1,
we're excited that today's announcement helps set the stage for
more epic intercontinental rivalries."
“Building communities around the best competitive experiences in
the world is incredibly rewarding, and the Overwatch League offers
the chance to create something special,” said Josh Kroenke,
cofounder of KSE Esports. “We’re impressed by the vision and
strategy for the League, and we’re going to build a great team for
Los Angeles that inspires fans near and far.”
"We applaud the creation of the Overwatch League, and couldn't
be happier partnering with an organization that shares our values
and vision of serving athletes, teams, and fans,” said Jack
Etienne, founder and CEO of Cloud9. "We are thrilled that Cloud9’s
formidable fan base throughout Europe and the UK now has a local
team to call their own, and can’t wait to start representing London
in the Overwatch League."
The Overwatch League is slated to begin later this year, with an
official player signing window for Season 1 now open from August 1
to October 30, 2017. Details on player signings, salaries and
benefits have been announced, with players earning a minimum of
$50,000 each year, and at least 50 percent of team performance
bonuses from winning playoffs and other League events going
directly to players. Teams will provide players with health
insurance and a retirement savings plan, as well as player housing
and practice facilities during the season which will meet
professional standards set by the Overwatch League.
More information about the League’s format and timeline, as well
as new team announcements, will be shared over the coming
months.
About Overwatch League™
The Overwatch League™ is the first major global professional
esports league with city-based teams in Boston, London, Los
Angeles, Miami-Orlando, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, and
Shanghai. Overwatch® was created by globally acclaimed publisher
Blizzard Entertainment (a division of Activision Blizzard - Nasdaq:
ATVI), whose iconic franchises have helped lay the foundations and
push the boundaries of professional esports over the last 15 years.
Among Blizzard’s stable of twenty-one #1 games,* Overwatch is the
fastest to reach more than 30 million players. Overwatch was built
from the ground up for online competition, with memorable
characters and fast-paced action designed for the most engaging
gameplay and spectator experiences. To learn more about the
Overwatch League, visit www.overwatchleague.com.
*Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and
reports from key distribution partners.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Blizzard Entertainment's expectations, plans, intentions or
strategies regarding the future, including statements about the
expected start date of the Overwatch League, are forward-looking
statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment's
actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in
the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include
unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the
risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual
report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon
information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision
Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard
Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to
update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be
incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future
performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and
are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of
which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ
materially from current expectations.
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Overwatch League Media
ContactsAndrew Reynoldsareynolds@blizzard.comorRob
Hilburgerrhilburger@blizzard.comorMary
Osakomary.osako@activision.com
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