Toronto Esports Club Overwatch after being told it has to change its name

There was a spot of drama on the Toronto esports scene of this week when the Toronto Esports Club, which made a deal in an overwatch Contenders team for the Boston Upgring of the Overwatch League, announced very suddenly (and unhappily) that it will be pulling out of Overwatch competition immediately. The organization said the decision was made after Blizzard told it to drop the "Toronto" name from its brand, because the new Toronto Defiant Overwatch League team has "exclusive naming rights" in the city.

Toronto Esports appeared to be in favor of the company, and was at least willing to capitalize on the presence of the big league team to boost its own profile. In October, the Club challenged it to a seven-game "showmatch" to determine the city's best Overwatch team, stunt the Defiant ignored, leading to predictable trash-talk-nothing nasty, just the luck of bravado-bound "cluck cluck" noises you'd expect from someone trying to goad a high-profile rival into a low-stakes competition.

The tone changed very suddenly on the evening of November 12:

We have been informed by Blizzard that we will be forced to remove "Toronto" from our brand in only 6 weeks. Mid Contenders season 3. The reason cited: @TorontoDefiant have purchased "exclusive naming rights". We will be leaving Overwatch effective immediately. Good riddance.November 13, 2018

We have asked Blizzard to fully confirm that this is their stance. We are not holding our breaths. We also feel they are displaying incompetence in developing a talent development ecosystem.November 13, 2018

The club said in response to the criticism of its tweets that it will be "take care of our players," and that "leaving overwatch does not mean abandoning our fans or staff." It also mused about the possibility of forming a Fortnite Gold CSGO team, saying that "they understand esports."

Ryan Pallett, the president of the Toronto Esports Club, told Kotaku that the organization had been "loyal" to the Blizzard, and that it was going to be more of an issue. support in return.

"We felt that given this, in the very least [we] should have been able to keep our original brand, which we hold very dearly. We also feel that the recent changes to the contenders rules are creating the necessary barriers. This is against our core company values, "Pallett said.

"We plan to enter new titles and continue to compete in the future. [Boston Uprising owner] Kraft Group. However, I would like to state that Chris Loranger and Uprising and Kraft Group have been incredible partners. We have nothing but the utmost respect for them and their leadership in sports. "

Kraft Group, Loranger, Chairman of the Kraft Group, said that the decision of the Toronto Esports Club is based on the opinion that the Uprising completely by surprise.

"I do not have the ability to make a decision about whether or not to make a decision in the future. slot, "he said on Twitter. "We will continue to compete as a team, but obviously under a new brand.

So at least it's going to be taken care of, then-just by the Toronto Esports Club. I've emailed the club and the Overwatch League for comment, and will update if I receive a reply from either.