Activision Blizzard unveiled seven franchises set to participate in the upcoming Overwatch League in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Shanghai and Seoul.
As previously reported by ESPN, two non-endemic entities are making an entry into esports through the Overwatch League in North America. Sterling Equities, the organization that runs the New York Mets, has secured the New York spot, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has claimed the Boston location.
Esports orgs Immortals and NRG Esports are also participating in the league, as they claimed spots in Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively. Sources told ESPN that the two organizations have agreed to pay $20 million over time for their respective spots.
Blizzard Entertainment also revealed the owners of three league spots, with one in North America and two in Asia. The Miami franchise will be run by the Miami Heat-backed Misfits. Chinese Internet technology company NetEease Inc. will own the Shanghai spot, and Kevin Chou, founder and former owner of mobile gaming company Kabam, owns the Seoul franchise.
"Overwatch is a game about a diverse group of international heroes who fight for an optimistic vision of the future, and the Overwatch League is an extension of that spirit," said Blizzard Entertainment CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime.
"We're building this league for fans -- esports fans, traditional sports fans, gaming fans -- and we're thrilled to have individuals and organizations who are as passionate about professional competition as we are, and who have extensive experience in all three fields, representing our first major international cities in the league."
The inaugural season is set to take place in Los Angeles to accommodate teams already stationed there. The regular season games are set to take place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The teams are allowed to run up to five amateur tournaments in their respective regions, such as the Online Division and Regional Contenders.
Blizzard has yet to announce an exact launch date for the Overwatch League.