The 2019 Overwatch League season will see eight new teams join the esports competition, as Activision Blizzard and the league announced six more expansion franchises on Friday.
Atlanta and Guangzhou had already been confirmed as expansion teams earlier this summer, and will now be joined by new squads in North America, China, and Europe.
New Owners Pay Premium to Join Overwatch League
The new cities that will lend their names to teams – and, if league plans come to fruition, eventually host matches in home arenas – include Washington D.C., Toronto, and Vancouver in North America, Chengdu and Hangzhou in China, and Paris.
Of the six, the least surprising inclusion is Toronto, as ESPN reported in August that the city was being awarded a franchise. The Toronto organization is set to be headed by former Canadian Olympic Committee CEO Chris Overholt, who held that position for eight years before stepping down from the post last week.
“We have been blown away,” Overholt told ESPN, speaking of his impressions of the first season of Overwatch League. “This is the future of sports and of entertainment.”
According to ESPN, prospective ownership groups were expected to pay between $30 million and $60 million for expansion franchises. That’s a high premium over the $20 million paid by the 12 inaugural owners. According to Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer, that’s a sign of the league’s success.
“Last year, we were selling an idea,” Nanzer told ESPN. “This year we had a successful season to point to. The conversation was different.”
Just how successful the league was is a matter of some debate. After a fast start, viewership trended downward throughout the first season, with average concurrent viewership falling below 100,000 viewers at times during the final stage of the season. On the other hand, the league finals did average over 860,000 concurrent viewers, a number that likely satisfied organizers and sponsors for a first-year competition.
Expansion Teams Granted Exclusive Signing Period
As in any other league, one of the biggest challenges for the expansion franchises will be putting together a roster that can compete against established teams. While the 12 original teams were able to negotiate with players until September 9, the expansion teams now have the exclusive right to sign free agents through October 7, giving them an opportunity to bring in talented players without bidding against the inaugural franchises.
Each team must have a minimum roster of eight players by December 1, with a maximum roster size of 12 players. No roster moves have been announced by any of the expansion teams as of yet.
The first season of Overwatch League was won by the London Spitfire, which scored a 2-0 series victory over the Philadelphia Fusion in the Grand Finals. The championship series was held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with the Spitfire earning a $1 million prize, while Philadelphia won $400,000 as the league runner-up.