The Overwatch League opened its 2019 season on February 14 at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. Tickets were sold out for the entirety of opening week, and more than 13 million people tuned in to watch from around the world. Eight new teams joined the Overwatch League this season—with expansion franchises in North America, Europe, and China—and viewership for opening week matches was up year-over-year on a global basis:
For the second week of the 2019 season, the Overwatch League was up 40% YoY on global average minute audience.
In addition to the millions of fans who watched the Overwatch League’s opening week matches on linear and digital platforms, thousands more gathered in person to cheer on their hometown teams. Highlights include:
- Paris Eternal supporters brought the noise at Le Generator in Paris, where around 200 fans roared on their team
- London Spitfire fans congregated at Loading Bar venues across the UK’s capital city
- The Washington Justice hosted more than 400 fans for their inaugural game at Penn Social, a sports bar in Washington D.C.
- The Dallas Fuel held its largest watch party to date with more than 800 fans cheering on the Fuel at the Esports Stadium Arlington
- In Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hangzhou, thousands of enthusiastic fanswatched Opening Week matches in a wide range of venues ranging from shopping malls to movie theaters
- In Toronto, more than 500 fans packed the Real Sports Bar
- And many more!
