Dear Papa Jeff,
This sure has been quite the year for the Overwatch League. For most of the year we got to play with goats, but then you helped us out and put them back into the zoo. Even though you kind of threw us behind a bunch of shields as a result, the recent changes should be a step in the right direction.
With 2020 around the corner, you must be just as excited for OWL to comeback as we all are. We miss the roar of the crowd after a huge play, the banter between casters during matches, and the goofiness of the analyst desk when games were a bit one sided.
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
As is holiday tradition, here’s a Christmas list made out to you, beloved Papa Jeff, in hopes that you could help a team in need – the Boston Uprising. It’s a short wish list of things fans want to see this upcoming season of OWL. Last year’s team had a rough stretch at the end of the season, but this is a brand new team that we think deserves a little bit of that seasonal magic. If you could help us out, surely the fans won’t complain about the meta ever again!
One of the most glaring issues Boston had throughout last season was their rotating support line. In Stage 3, Boston had gone out with four different support pairings. When Boston did finalize a back line, they had struggled immensely and failed to win a single match in Stage 4.
Boston Eventually Settled with the Persia/Kellex Line
Currently, Boston only has two supports, and both are fresh out of Contenders. Gabriel “Swimmer” Levy and Sang-min “Myunbong” Seo have shined in their time down in the minor league, and of all positions for Boston, they have the most potential to impress. Given enough time, this should be one of the most solid support lines in the league. Swimmer in particular is an extremely vocal player from what viewers have seen in his twitch streams, which should help out in team fights when Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth goes down early.
Courtesy of the Boston Uprising
Myunbong joins the team with the most turnover at the flex-support position. The past two seasons, Boston has swapped out their initial flex-support for a backup. Without a current backup behind him, it may only appear as though his position as a start is locked in now, but Boston does have a habit of picking up players mid-season to only thrust them into the lineup.
But this year will be different. With the overwhelming confidence Chris “HuK” Loranger has in Myunbong, enough to reach out to O2-Blast and make a deal before trying him out, the team stands behind their rookie flex-support. In fact, there are no other supports on the current roster. Boston has put themselves in a position to be incapable of juggling support lines.
Season 3 is probably the most pivotal season for OWL. Teams are spending extravagant amounts of money flying across the world to play in almost every continent. When teams do finally come home for their home games, it will be doubly important to show support for the players. The Uprising have the luxury of having the longest travel distance this season, with multiple trips across the Atlantic Ocean in order to face division foes London and Paris.
As of writing, Boston has yet to formally announce their home stand venue, but it has been confirmed to be at least in the city of Boston. The Uprising join the likes of the Red Sox, the Celtics and the Bruins by hosting their games in Beantown. With the prestige that comes along with being a Boston team, the Uprising can expect an audience of absolute die-hard fans. The one problem will be, of course, selling the tickets.
When fans buy tickets to watch the Red Sox, they can expect a certain atmosphere that Fenway park delivers. The Uprising however, are a bit of a question mark when it comes to live attendance. The location is an unknown, and the pricing is even more baffling when you aren’t sure what you are buying. Then there is the question of, will fans from other teams come to the home stand to visit? If the Dallas and Atlanta home stands are any indication, things do look good for Boston’s attendance numbers.
Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Realistically, though, what would be a better welcome to the Boston boys than a sold out home game. A sea of blue and yellow cheering wildly as the Uprising take the stage. The energy from a relentless Boston crowd would be enough to light up the whole city. At least, optimistic fans hope so.
The most important product of a sold out game is the message it sends to Blizzard and the Uprising org. Selling out an esports event in a large sports city shows that people will watch games in their home city. It’ll show that the drive to localize games was certainly worth it, and it will push teams to have more home games in the future.Then in a perfect world, teams would be able to move to larger venues, make more money, and use that money to help grow the league.
After an abysmal end to last season, a decisive win would boost the confidence of everyone surrounding the Boston Uprising. The team filled with new players would gain momentum. The staff will feel vindicated about their off-season moves. Best of all, the fans will know that the better times are here. Of course, there is a chance that the team wins 1 game, gets over-confident, and tanks for half of the season riding that one win. But this is a new system for Boston so don’t expect a losing attitude to linger long.
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
With all the unknowns and low expectations of the team as a whole, it’s incredibly important that Boston comes out swinging. If the team is able to escape New York with a couple map wins against the NYXL, it will be seen as a positive as a whole. If Boston wins against New York, it will be exactly the hot start a young team would need.
The Uprising will play 11 matches before being able to play at their home venue. If they are able to stay .500 or better, it will be perfect for Boston to make a push for that playoff picture.
This one really goes out to every team flying around the world this year. We wish each and every team safe travels in their first year of worldwide league play. Here’s to a season without hiccups and many amazing adventures for the players in the Overwatch League.
Thanks Papa Jeff!
Your favorite gold main tank, Bryan “Brock” Rockwood
Featured image courtesy of the Boston Uprising
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Follow me on Twitter @esportsbrock for more holiday cheer. #BostonUp!
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