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The Overwatch League adds six new teams of spies from around the world, bringing the list to 20 teams all over the world. The new teams are based in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Paris, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington, DC.
The growth of the league speaks volumes about esports. The owners of the first teams each paid about $ 20 million for the franchise rights of their Overwatch teams. Activision Blizzard would have asked the last owners to pay $ 100 million. I have no idea what franchises have actually sold.
"We have never confirmed the original price and we will not talk about this prize," said Nate Nanzer, commissioner of the Overwatch League, in an interview with GamesBeat. "I can talk about the process. Last year, we sold an idea. This year we had a successful inaugural season. We put a very good product in the world. We launched an application process where people presented us with proposals.
They will all participate in the 2019 Overwatch League season. Last month franchises representing Atlanta and Guangzhou joined forces. Nine teams in total are from the United States, which is one of the goals of the World League of Esports.
Nanzer said the owners were chosen based on the cities they represented and their ability to create a local business. This means that the homeowners had to have access to some sort of physical venue for the esports, such as a stadium, broadcast matches and local sponsorships and marketing.
"We have examined in more detail the capabilities of local homeowners," Nanzer said. "We wanted to make sure our ownership groups had capacity on the ground and could speed things up pretty quickly."
In July, the Overwatch League announced that its broadcasts would arrive on Disney-owned channels such as ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2 and Disney XD. The first week of the Overwatch League, which took place in January, attracted 10 million viewers. Activision Blizzard noted that the number of viewers increased from there.
New ownership groups include:
- Aquilini Group: A diversified family business that owns the Vancouver Canucks and Rogers Arena of the National Hockey League and manages a global portfolio of conglomerates will operate the team in Vancouver, Canada.
- Bilibili: A leading online entertainment company for young people in China, covering a wide range of genres and media formats, including videos, live broadcasts and mobile games.
- DM Esports: a global company specializing in entertainment and investments in the field of esport will operate the team in Paris, France.
- Huya: A leading platform in the video game market in China will lead the team in Chengdu, China.
- OverActive Media: An integrated company that distributes hype and entertainment in the Canadian marketplace will operate the team in Toronto, Canada.
- Washington Esports Ventures: A sports organization founded by Mark Ein, owner of the Washington Kastles of World Tennis Team, to build and promote sports companies, will lead the team in Washington, DC.
"The inaugural season of the Overwatch League has been a great success," said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, in a statement. "Just last season, fans spent 160 million hours watching the best Overwatch players in the world. We are excited to add six outstanding new owners from Europe, China and North America to our group of Overwatch League owners. We now have 20 of the best owners in professional sports. "
Above: The big finals of the league Overwatch show that esports is doing well, thank you
Image Credit: Blizzard
"Esports has enjoyed tremendous success and continues to be one of the fastest growing industries in the world," said Francesco Aquilini, general manager of the Aquilini Group, in a statement. "The Overwatch league has visionary leadership, strong franchises and connects to millions of players around the world. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to embark on the esport and look forward to launching the team in Vancouver, which will also represent fans of the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle and Portland.
"We are excited to participate in the upcoming Overwatch League season with a team in Hangzhou," said Rui Chen, Chairman and CEO of Bilibili, in a statement. "Esports is one of the most popular types of content on Bilibili, attracting and engaging millions of users on our platforms. We are excited to combine the tremendous growth potential of esports with the outstanding power and quality of Overwatch. We look forward to providing highly competitive and entertaining gameplay to our fans around the world. "
Above: Ramon Hermann (left) of Tencent America and Nate Nanzer of Overwatch League.
Image credit: Milken Institute
"I'm excited to join the Overwatch League with a franchise in one of the world's most iconic cities," said Drew McCourt, owner and founder of DM Esports in a statement. "As a global investor in traditional sports, watching the growth of Esports and the Overwatch League in particular has been remarkable. I am delighted to bring a team to Paris and help to grow the championship throughout France. "
"We are excited to establish a deep partnership with the Overwatch League," said Henry Sha, Huya's CFO, in a statement. "We are excited about the growth potential of esports and look forward to leveraging our gaming expertise and capabilities. As a leader in the video game industry in China, we believe we can increase the popularity of the Overwatch League by providing unique resources and a large database. We believe our team in Chengdu will demonstrate HUYA's interest in the global esport industry.
"We look forward to expanding the reach and influence of the Toronto franchise and the Overwatch League in Canada and around the world," said Chris Overholt, President and Chief Executive Officer. OverActive Media, in a statement. "We will do so with the help and passionate support of our fans, who are already declaring their allegiance to our team. Our owners are committed to building a team of professionals and an organization that we know will quickly become the best sports and entertainment company in its class.
Above: KSV Seoul Dynasty Overwatch team. KSV has recently changed its name to Gen.G esports.
Image Credit: Gen.G
"We are excited to bring an Overwatch League team to the community of Washington, DC," said Mark Ein, owner of Washington Esports Ventures, in a statement. "There is a rich tradition of sports and fan engagement in this region, and I believe in the power of these connections to inspire and bring communities together, and to serve as an impactful platform to give back. We believe that the global, city-based model of esports lends itself well to growth and is ideal for engaging younger audiences.
Further details on the official team names, brands and lists will be announced soon by each franchise in collaboration with the Overwatch League. Information on the calendar for the 2019 season will be released at a later date. Nanzer will speak at the upcoming Esports BAR event in Miami on September 24th.
Asked if he or the owners were worried about the future of Overwatch in light of his rival Fortnite's popularity, Nanzer said no. He said, "Our league is structured after the franchise teams in traditional sports. We are really focused on generating revenue for the league, not just the game. The type of game is very different. Our owners understand and recognize the differences. "
Nanzer said the league will work with new owners to create a brand and start selecting their lists of professional players.
"There is a lot of practical work now, from an operational point of view, and what kind of sponsorship opportunities they have," Nanzer said.
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