Overwatch League Announces 2020 Season Format
Photo: Ben Pursell For Blizzard Entertainment
When it was announced this year by former commissioner, Nate Nanzer, that the Overwatch League would be moving to a home/away format, many asked a simple question. How? Well, that question has now been answered as the OWL have announced how the league will be structured in the 2020 Season.
The biggest change is that the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions will be adopting an NFL-style conference divisional system. The new groups are:
Atlantic Conference: South Division
- Atlanta Reign
- Florida Mayhem
- Houston Outlaws
- Philadelphia Fusion
- Washington Justice
Atlantic Conference: North Division
- Boston Uprising
- New York Excelsior
- London Spitfire
- Paris Eternal
- Toronto Defiant
Pacific Conference: West Division
- Dallas Fuel
- LA Valiant
- LA Gladiators
- San Francisco Shock
- Vancouver Titans
Pacific Conference: East Division
- Guangzhou Charge
- Hangzhou Spark
- Chengdu Hunters
- Seoul Dynasty
- Shanghai Dragons
Each team will host two homestands, the prototypes we’ve seen with Dallas and Atlanta already this year. Every team will play in-conference opponents twice and out of conference opponents once. And all matches will be played during the weekend with game times specialized for the local markets.
One thing being taken away, however, is the stage playoff format. With travel in mind, the league has said that for 2020 there will be no “stages” and the regular season will only be interrupted by a mid-season all star break.
For our story on the Shanghai Dragons historic Stage 3 Playoff run click HERE!
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