July 26 2018, the Thursday before the Inaugural Overwatch League finals, fans were pouring into Sony Hall for a party celebrating their home team, the NYXL. Despite the fact that the NYXL had not made finals, the hall was still packed with fans of all ages to party with the team.
The party was followed by an NYXL pop-up shop that opened up for that Friday and Saturday. It drew crowds that rounded the corner of the block not once, but twice. It started pouring rain and fans were still willing to stand in line for a chance to meet the team and buy exclusive merchandise, even as the start of the matches drew closer and closer.
There’s a lot to be said about why these events were successful, especially considering the timing of the events and the shop’s proximity to the arena, but team access is the common factor. The team was made available for connections with fans and for actual genuine interactions. Aspiring pros were able to see their inspirations and speak to them in a personable, comfortable and authentic way.
Even if the players are not from New York, the team is still strongly representative of what Manhattan stands for in terms of diversity, hard work and strength. Their branding as a New York team also leans on the idea of New York City being a place that is diverse in its ability to be represented. There’s no one way a New Yorker looks, acts or exists. New Yorkers are from all walks of life, they’re from hundreds of backgrounds and have millions of different stories to tell.
The events where the team isn’t present tend to have a similar amount of success and popularity. The team opened a pop-up shop and LAN in November of 2018, which stayed open for a little over a month. The team was not in attendance for the vast majority of the amount of time the shop was open, but many fans still visited to play and compete amongst each other and buy limited-edition merchandise.
Courtesy of: NYXL
The popularity of the shops can be in part attributed to the merchandise they have put out. The pieces they release are consistently things that people in a fashion-forward city like New York will wear or use no matter what. It’s all to represent their favorite team, but it’s also about looking cool while doing it. Which, is what New Yorkers do best.
Tournaments and other events also draw fans who are less attracted to fashion. Tournaments were held throughout the time the Shop & LAN was open, and towards the end of the shop’s lifespan, the NYXL were in attendance to play against fans in person.
The ease of this team-fan connection is only aided by strong branding decisions and team-fan interaction on social media. The image of the NYXL is carefully and artfully cultivated to create the cool, personable, and down-to-earth nature that mimics New York City itself. It makes it easier for fans to connect with their favorite players on a more personal level.
With the release of their feature-length documentary on January 30, 2019, the NYXL reminded their fans exactly why they root for them. The team’s very nature encompasses the spirit of Manhattan, and they’re ready to fight until the very end to do the city proud. See them play against the Boston Uprising when the second season of the Overwatch League begins on February 14, 2019.
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Featured Image Courtesy of the NYXL
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