With eight new franchises and plans to take its regular season on the road, the Overwatch League is opening its second year a few steps closer to its goal of becoming a truly global, city-based esports league. The two-day match drew 10.8 million viewers globally and was crowned Esports Live Event of the Year at the 2018 Esports Awards. In part because of its structural resemblance to traditional sports leagues, Overwatch has had more success there. Just last summer, Riot Games — the company behind esports giant “League of Legends” — revealed it was not close to turning a profit despite its massive popularity. Nanzer wouldn’t comment directly on the Overwatch League’s finances, but he and the league’s investors have expressed confidence in its financial direction.

Source: National Post February 14, 2019 08:03 UTC