This point of view is understandable but that does not mean this point of view is correct, nor does it mean we can simply push away creative fandom’s frustrations. The situation we find ourselves in with “stan culture” is not the fault of one person alone. Players and organisations are not asking for harassment by simply maintaining a social presence. These fans are not actively choosing to harm the players they admire. People who wish for the safety of players and a healthy fan scene for the Overwatch League are not trying to remove creative fandom altogether. Instead, we are watching the interaction of creative fandom with the traditional esport fanbase at a larger scale than ever before and the inevitable bumps and bruises that come with it.

We cannot ignore the divide between creative fandom and the esport fanbase for OWL at this crossroads - for many in the creative fandom, the Overwatch League is their first experience with esports. While this is promising for the growth of esports as a whole, this lack of experience inevitably leaves a gap in expectations for creative fandom. Expectations and impressions are different, compared to those with experience in other organised competitive scenes. Issues such as representation and communication vastly differ between fiction and a complex and messy industry. Creative fandom’s frustrations with aspects of esports are not from delusion or irrational anger - but rather from expecting something without knowing the full story. Hopefully, this divide in experience is something that can be improved upon, and will naturally get better over time. As creative fandom learns more about the history of the industry, these frustrations may not change, but may be better understood. The divide between creative fandom and traditional esports can be closed over time, with fair discussion and understanding from both sides. It comes first with a realisation that passion for competitive Overwatch has different origins and celebrating those differences, rather than looking down upon them.