Update — 15/02/2019: A press release from Blizzard Entertainment announced State Farm as the official North American insurance provider of the Overwatch League as part of a multi-year sponsorship. This article has been updated with this news, along with additional information on 2019 league broadcast partners.

Introduction to the Overwatch League

The Overwatch League (OWL) is the premier professional competition for Overwatch , a first-person, class-based shooter from Blizzard Entertainment . The OWL was first announced at BlizzCon in November 2016, and initially drew heavy attention for its similarity to major U.S. sports leagues, such as the NBA and NFL. Like those competitions, the OWL forgoes relegation and promotion in favor of permanent franchises. After twelve teams competed in the inaugural 2018 season, eight expansion franchises were announced for the second season, which will begin Feb. 14.

OWL teams are tied to specific cities around the world. While all teams currently reside in Los Angeles, with all matches to be played offline in Blizzard’s LA Arena, the long term plan is for OWL teams to establish a worldwide network of stadiums, and implement home/away formats with teams traveling between these locations.

Out of the 20 franchises currently competing in the league, 11 are based in the U.S., two in Canada, four in China, two in Europe, and one in South Korea.

Click map images for a larger view

While the costs for inaugural season franchises slot are reportedly as much as $20M USD each, the expansion slots were reported to have been bought for $35M-$60M. The current list of OWL team owners features not just endemic esports team organizations, but also game and technology companies, and a mix of venture capitalists and holding companies with deep ties to the sport and technology industries.

For a more detailed explanation of the game of Overwatch, please read our Esports Essentials article.

Here are a few other key facts regarding the OWL:

Regular season games are played weekly from Thursday through Sunday.

The linear and digital platforms broadcasting OWL matches and content include: MLG.com and the MLG app (owned by Activision Blizzard), Blizzard Battle.net, and Overwatch game-client viewers. On Twitch, as part of a $90M USD exclusive third-party deal. The Twitch broadcasts are available in English, French, Korean, Chinese, and Portuguese. Twitter will livestream daily Watchpoint shows on match days, as well as a selection of OWL League clips from live matches. In mainland China, the league is broadcasted online through Zhanhqi.tv, NetEase CC, Bilibili, and Huya. French media company Mediawan will show league highlights on its Mangas Network. German sports network Sport1 will air live matches on Esports1, and league highlights on Sport1. There is also a non-exclusive TV broadcast deal in place to show select matches on the ABC, ESPN, and Disney family of networks



The inaugural season for OWL features a total prize pool of $5M. This breaks down to: $500K split across three stage playoffs (there are no playoffs for stage four). $3.5M prize pool for the playoffs (with the season champion taking $1.1M).



Similar to the NBA and NFL, all teams are exclusively owned by the league. This means any existing esports organizations cannot play under their existing trademark (e.g. Immortals plays as Los Angeles Valiant, Misfits as Florida Mayhem).

Currently, all games are played in Blizzard’s LA Arena. From 2020, teams will compete from their respective home venues. This season, there will be three homestand events, in which the Dallas Fuel, Atlanta Reign, and Los Angeles Valiant will host a week’s worth of games.

2019 Overwatch League Sponsors:

2019 Season Schedule

All 20 teams will play 28 matches total during the regular season – seven per stage. The season will be split into four stages, each running between the following dates:

Stage 1: Feb. 14 — March 17

Stage 2: April 4 — May 5

Stage 3: June 6 — July 7

Stage 4: July 25 — Aug 25

Every stage will culminate with two title matches, where the top eight seeded teams will compete in a mini-playoff for part of a $500K performance bonus. It’s worth noting that the wins and losses for these bonus matches will not contribute to a team’s overall playoff points. Teams will, however, earn additional performance bonuses at the end of the regular season based on their final standings and complete season record.

Following the end of Stage 4, the top six teams (two division winners, and the other four by full-season record) will move on to a playoff stage. The seventh through twelfth-place teams in the overall standings will compete in a sudden death tournament, with the top two teams joining the playoffs. Details regarding the date and venue for the stage finals will be announced at a later date.

There will also be an All-Star Weekend, taking place in between stage two and three.

Atlantic Division

Team Name: Atlanta Reign

City: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

Owner: Atlanta Esports Ventures

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

The Atlanta Reign is one of the eight expansion teams playing for the first time in the 2019 season.

The franchise itself is owned by Atlanta Esports Ventures; a joint venture between Cox Enterprises, and Province, Inc. Cox Ventures is a privately held American media and automotive conglomerate based in the city of Atlanta, founded in 1898 by then Ohio governor James M. Cox. Province, Inc. is a financial advisory firm.

The Atlanta Reign will host the Stage 3 Homestand, location TBA.

Related Article: The Birth of the Atlanta OWL Franchise

Team Name: Boston Uprising

City: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

Owner: Kraft Group

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Background: The Kraft Group, founded by American businessman Robert Kraft, is the owner of multiple sports franchises. Among others, it owns MLS team New England Revolution and six-time Super Bowl winners the New England Patriots, both based in the Boston metropolitan area.

Boston Uprising is the Kraft Group’s first esports-related business move, and the fact the OWL is structured as a traditional sports league (with city-based franchises, buy-in fees, and a set salary cap) is a major reason for his decision to invest.

Team Name: Florida Mayhem

Cities: Miami and Orlando, Florida, U.S.

Owner: Misfits/Esports Plus

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Background: Ben Spoont is the CEO and co-founder of the Misfits esports team organization in 2016, alongside Syfy Channel founders Laurie Silvers and Mitch Rubenstein. The team, which has received investment from NBA team the Miami Heat, now runs divisions in multiple esports, including a League of Legends team in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC).

Team Name: Houston Outlaws

City: Houston, Texas, U.S.

Owner: Infinite Esports & Entertainment

Number of Active Players: Ten

Jersey Sponsor: T-Mobile

Background: The Outlaws are one of two franchises based in Texas, representing the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio region of the state. Boasting the same green and black branding, the Outlaws are the Overwatch sister brand of OpTic Gaming , an esports organization founded in 2006 by Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez as a Call of Duty team.

In 2017, Neil Leibman, the co-owner of MLB franchise Texas Rangers, became the lead investor in Infinite Esports & Entertainment – a new holding company founded and co-owned by Chris Chaney. Infinite then purchased a majority stake in OpTic Gaming, and added both OpTic and the Houston Outlaws to the company. The investment reportedly exceeded the required $33M entry fees for both the Overwatch League and League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).

In January of this year, it was reported that Neil Leibman’s ownership group, Texas Esports, was preparing to sell its majority stake in Infinite Esports & Entertainment.

Team Name: London Spitfire

City: London, United Kingdom

Owner: Cloud9

Number of Active Players: Eight

Jersey Sponsor: Logitech G



Background: The London Spitfire are the first ever champions of the Overwatch League. The team is owned by Cloud9, an esports team organization based in Los Angeles, California, which competes in the LCS, as well as Counter-Strike, Hearthstone, and Rocket League to name a few titles.

Cloud9 raised $50M in its latest funding round (Series B), and some of its more notable investors include Valor Equity Partners, WWE, Signia Venture Partners, and Trubridge Capital Partners.

For its first season, the London Spitfire signed players from Korean esports organizations KongDoo Panthera, GC Busan, and Meta Athena, and will maintain an all-Korean roster for season two. In order to develop the team’s connection with its London fanbase, Cloud9 has partnered with Code Red Esports agency, who will also run London Spitfire’s operations in the UK and develop local partnerships.

Team Name: New York Excelsior

City: New York City, New York, U.S.

Owner: Sterling.VC

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: T-Mobile

Background: Sterling V.C. is the sports, esports, media, and real estate fund supported by Sterling Equities, a family-run group of companies. Fred Wilpon, a chairman, co-founder and senior partner for Sterling is also a majority owner and CEO of the New York Mets, while his son Jeff Wilpon serves as the franchise’s COO.

The NYXL was one of the top performing teams of 2018, winning two stage playoffs and placing first in the overall season rankings (losing just 6 games), however, it did not reach the Grand Finals.

The New York Excelsior hosted an all-Korean roster in its inaugural season, and will continue to do so in 2019.

Team Name: Paris Eternal

City: Paris, France

Owner: DM-ESports

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Paris Eternal is the second OWL franchise based in Europe, and the only one to be added as part of the season two expansion. Its owner and operator, the recently created DM-Esports, is a group led by Drew McCourt, president of real estate investment firm McCourt Global—which also owns French soccer club Olympique de Marseille.

Paris Eternal is the only team in the Overwatch League with no South Korean or Chinese players.

Team Name: Philadelphia Fusion

City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Owner: Comcast Spectacor

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: Arris

Philadelphia-based Comcast Spectacor is part of Comcast Group, one of the world’s largest broadcasting companies by revenue (owning among others NBC, Universal Pictures, USA Network, and CNBC). In traditional sports, Comcast Spectacor owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, and previously owned the Philadelphia 76ers.

Although it was only sixth in the final standings (thus only narrowly qualifying for the playoffs), the Philadelphia Fusion made it to the Grand Finals of the inaugural OWL season.

Team Name: Toronto Defiant

City: Toronto, Canada

Owner: Overactive Media Group

Number of Active Players: Eight

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

The Toronto Defiant is one of two OWL expansion franchises based in Canada. The team is owned by Overactive Media Group, an esports holding company that began operations in November 2017, and is led by former Canadian Olympic Committee CEO Chris Overholt.

In November 2018, Overactive Media announced it had fully acquired esports organization Splyce , which competes in the League of Legends European Championship (LEC), alongside other titles, and will operate the Toronto Defiant.

Like several other North American OWL teams, the Defiant boasts an all-Korean roster.

Related Article: OverActive Media CEO on Acquiring Splyce and Seeking Further Franchises

Team Name: Washington Justice

City: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Owner: Washington Esports Ventures

Number of Active Players: Eight

Jersey Sponsor: Events D.C.

Washington Justice is one of the two new U.S. based expansion franchises.

The team is owned by Washington Esports Ventures, a venture led by businessman Mark Ein, who’s existing sports platform includes the Washington Kastles, a franchise in the U.S. World TeamTennis competition. Other investors and board members of the ownership group include Artist Capital Management and Dyson Dryden, Mark Ein’s business partner.

Events DC, the team’s founding sponsor, owns several venues around the nation’s Capital, including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, and the newly erected $65M Entertainment & Sports Arena.

Pacific Division

Team Name: Chengdu Hunters

City: Chengdu, China

Owner: HUYA Inc.

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: Huya

The Chengdu Hunters are one of three Chinese expansion teams for the new season, and are owned by Huya, a live streaming company that also holds broadcast rights to the OWL. Publicly traded on the New York stock exchange, Huya raised $180M in its initial public offering (IPO) last year.

Tencent Holdings , which also owns an undisclosed stake in Overwatch publisher Activision Blizzard, led a $461.6M funding round in Huya, making Tencent the largest shareholder in the company next to its parent, YY.

The Chengdu Hunters are operated by Chinese esports organization Royal Never Give-Up (RNG), and are the only one of the four Chinese OWL teams to have signed a majority of its players from the region.

Team Name: Dallas Fuel

City: Dallas, Texas, U.S.

Owner: Envy Gaming , Hersh Interactive Group

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: Jack in the Box

Dallas Fuel is co-owned by Team Envy, an esports organization that competes in a variety of esports titles, and Hersh Interactive.

In September 2017, Envy Gaming confirmed an investment from Hersh Family Investments, reported to be $35M, and that it would relocate from North Carolina to Dallas. In January 2019, Envy Gaming announced another funding round of $20M, from external investors. The Hersh family are minority owners in the Texas Rangers MLB franchise.

The Dallas Fuel will host the Stage 2 Homestand, at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.

Team Name: Guangzhou Charge

City: Guangzhou, China

Owner: Nenking Group

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Guangzhou Charge is one of the three expansion teams from China, and is owned by the Nenking Group, a financial and entertainment conglomerate. Nenking is chaired by billionaire Zhong Naixoing, and is the owner of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) team the Guangzhou Long-Lions.

The Charge is the only Chinese OWL team to feature players from western regions (the U.S. and UK).

Related Article: Guangzhou Charge CEO Says New Team Will Focus on Long Term Stability, Structure

Team Name: Hangzhou Spark

City: Hangzhou, China

Owner: Bilibili

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: Bilibili

The Hangzhou franchise is owned by Bilibili Inc (NASDAQ: BILI), a Chinese video sharing website. The company raised roughly $500M during its initial public offering in March of 2018, pricing its shares at $11.50. Tencent Holdings purchased more than 25M shares in Bilibili, for a total investment of $317.6M

Bilibili also owns Bilibili Gaming, a professional League of Legends team competing in China’s League of Legends Pro League (LPL), and has broadcast rights to the OWL for 2019.

Team Name: Los Angeles Gladiators

City: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Owner: Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), owned by Stan Kroenke and his son Josh, is the parent company for a number of different sports holdings. Stan Kroenke is a major shareholder of four Denver-based teams (Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Mammoth), California-based Los Angeles Rams (the Kroenke family relocated the franchise from St. Louis) and London-based Arsenal F.C.

The Los Angeles Gladiators is run by Sentinels, an esports organization that previously competed in League of Legends as Phoenix1.

Team Name: Los Angeles Valiant

City: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Owner: Immortals

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

Formed in October 2015, Immortals competes in a number of esports including Counter-Strike (under the MIBR brand), Super Smash Bros., and Dota 2. It also used to compete in North American League of Legends.

Immortals’ team of investors include Lionsgate, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Memphis Grizzlies co-owner Steve Kaplan, Honest Co. CEO Brian Lee, and former Ebay CEO Meg Whitman.

AEG has stakes in various sports franchises within Los Angeles, including NBA team L.A. Lakers, NFL team Los Angeles Kings, and soccer team L.A. Galaxy. It also owns live entertainment venues across the world—including the L.A. Live Arena.

The Los Angeles Valiant will host the Stage 3 Homestand, at the Novo by Microsoft at LA Live.

Team Name: San Francisco Shock

City: San Francisco, California, U.S.

Owner: NRG Esports

Number of Active Players: 12

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

NRG Esports’ chairman and co-owner is Andy Miller, co-owner of the NBA team the Sacramento Kings, and the former VP of mobile advertising at Apple Inc.

The organization’s ownership includes Shaquille O’Neal, Jennifer Lopez, NFL stars Marshawn Lynch and Michael Strahan, SoFi CEO and former Twitter COO Anthony Noto, and Fortress Investment Group chairman Pete Briger.

Team Name: Seoul Dynasty

City: Seoul, South Korea

Owner: Gen.G Esports

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: Nighthawk Pro Gaming

Seoul Dynasty is so far the only OWL franchise based in South Korea. It is owned and operated by Gen.G Esports, a global esports organization with a presence in Seoul, San Francisco, and Shanghai.

The brand (formerly known as KSV Esports) was founded by Kevin Chou, the founder and former CEO of mobile app and gaming company Kabam, along with several of the company’s co-owners. Chou remains executive chairman of Gen.G Esports, however former Major League Baseball VP of Product and Marketing Chris Park took over as CEO in January 2019.

With an all-Korean roster, Seoul Dynasty is the only Overwatch League team to feature players solely from its home country.

Team Name: Shanghai Dragons

City: Shanghai, China

Owner: NetEase

Number of Active Players: 10

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

The Shanghai Dragons are run by NetEase, a Chinese internet technology company that is not only Blizzard Entertainment’s publishing partner for Overwatch, but also operates Chinese local versions for several Blizzard titles, and their esports operations in China.

At the beginning of the OWL inaugural season, Shanghai Dragons ran an all-Chinese roster—the entirety of Chinese players in the league at the time. It later traded in a few South Korean players, including the league’s only female competitor, Se-yeon “Geguri” Kim.

At the season’s end, the Dragons had a 0-40 record, having lost every one of its games. It has now signed an overwhelmingly South Korean roster for season two.

Team Name: Vancouver Titans

City: Vancouver, Canada

Owner: Aquilini Investment Group

Number of Active Players: Nine

Jersey Sponsor: TBD

The Aquilini Investment Group is owner of NHL team the Vancouver Canucks. The family-owned company also owns the Canucks’ venue, the Rogers Arena, which was the site of one of the largest esports events of 2018, Dota 2’s The International. The Vancouver Titans have partnered with Canadian esports organization Luminosity Gaming to assist with team operations.

It currently has an all-Korean roster of players.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated that OpTic Gaming was founded by Ryan “OpTic J” Musselman rather than Hector Rodriguez