2019 Brings Change to OWL

With the inaugural season of Overwatch League in the books, the second season ushers in some change as the League continues to grow and take form. There were tweaks across the board from playoff structure to expansion teams, and even the addition of home games. Curious about what to expect? Let's take a deep dive together!

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Expansion Teams

In year two of its sensational success, Overwatch League has almost doubled in size. Eight more teams have been added, bringing the total to twenty. This is pretty significant considering the cost. The first twelve franchises were able to buy into the League for a measly $20 million, whereas ESPN reported that the new teams' buy in cost would be anywhere between $30-$60 million, depending on the scale of the market. With cities such as Atlanta, Vancouver, Toronto, Hangzhou, and Paris in that mix OWL is quickly saturating a global market with record growth. That says a lot about the success of season one and where this League is headed in the future. A very bright future, indeed.

Homestands

Want to root for the home team? Here's you chance! Kind of. If you're lucky. Three teams; Dallas Fuel (April 27-28), Atlanta Reign (July 6-7), and LA Valiant (August 23-24) will each host one of the "Homestand Weekends". During these Homestands, the selected teams will host 8 matches across two days, and consisting of 8 teams. Many teams submitted proposals for this privilege, but these three were selected by the League to carry out the ground breaking feat. Should it prove successful, this will lay the blueprint for future events in seasons to come.

Schedule Changes

With all that considerable growth, OWL has understandably implemented some tweaks to their scheduling. Season 2 will see its overall length reduced from 40 matches to 28. Altogether, it's more matches to watch, but teams won't be under as much stress in the long haul. Personally, I think that's a good thing, with growing concerns over player burn out. Game days will now feature 4 matches (up from 3), and will take place Thursday-Sunday. Teams could have anywhere from zero to two matches each week.

The Schedule is as follows (All times are PST):

Thursday/Friday - 4:00pm, 5:30pm, 7:00pm, and 8:30pm.

Saturday/Sunday - 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, and 4:30pm

Playoffs

Here we find some of the most significant and impactful changes. There will now be 8 teams contending in the playoffs following the regular season. Each winner from their respective division will fill the #1 and #2 seeds determined by overall record, with spots 3-6 being filled by the next best records. The last two spots for the 8 team postseason will be decided by a mini-tournament consisting of teams 7-12. This is great news for those teams that got hot at the end of the season, but would have fallen short of last year's playoffs. These are some wonderful adjustments, as the postseason qualifications are some of the most debated rules of any sport. This should ensure that the most competitive teams remain in the mix.

All-Star Game

Special skins from the 2018 Weekend

Once again Blizzard has continued its trend of giving players a much needed break by moving the All-Star Game from the end of the season to the middle. There will now be an extended break between stages 2 and 3 to allow for the special event. This should be another helpful move to alleviate some of the added stress associated with the grueling grind of the competitive season. Blizzard also hopes this will allow teams to have more fan interaction and events in their local markets.

All in all, these are some great changes, and a win-win for everyone. The League has even more content to air, teams will be able to engage more with their fans, and the burden on players should be a bit more manageable. There were some real concerns when popular pros were calling it quits after only one season, and after all, these are some rather young folks we are talking about. The burnout was real and something that needed to be addressed. Let's hope the changes that have been made allow for a healthier League for everyone involved.

What say you? Are the changes good? Bad? Too much? Not enough? Make your voice known in the comments below. As Overwatch League continues to grow and plow into the uncharted waters ahead of them, these early years will have a lasting impact. If this League is to continue thriving, Blizzard really needs to nail decisions like the ones mentioned here. Time will ultimately tell the tale, however, and Season 2 is just around the corner! Take note of the changes. You aren't gonna wanna miss a minute of it.

Hurry up, February! We are waiting for the Reign to begin!