It’s official, the 2019 OWL Grand Finals are officially in the books. Even as early as Friday when the weekend’s events got underway, there was plenty to offer for fans traveling to Philadelphia. But now that all of the confetti in the Wells Fargo arena has been swept up and everyone has made their way back home, it’s time to look back at the sights and the sounds of the weekend.
The first event of the weekend gave fans the opportunity to use VR to see the plans for the Fusion Arena, as well as the chance to meet a couple of Fusion players for autographs. This took place in the Comcast Center Plaza, right across the street from Media Day.
Across the street at Media Day, the press got to hear from the OWL commissioner, several members from each of the two Grand Finals teams, and the OWL broadcast talent. These events kicked off the weekend giving both press and fans alike the chance to interact with people within the OWL.
Fusion player signing and Fusion Arena VR experience on Friday
Opening remarks from Pete Vlastelica at Media Day
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Saturday was a bit more laid back, giving fans the chance to enjoy the city a bit. All that took place was the Mitchell & Ness x OWL event in the morning and early afternoon. This event was an exciting collaboration between a local Philadelphia apparel company and the OWL, showcasing exclusive and customizable merch and giving fans the chance to meet some OWL players along the way.
The crowd at Mitchell & Ness x OWL event
Player meet and greet at the Mitchell & Ness x OWL event
Front display at the Mitchell & Ness x OWL event
Sunday was the big day and for fans, it was also a very long one. Fan Fest got underway at around 10 am and the final moments at the arena ended at about 8 pm. But, for as full of a day as it was, there were a lot of great moments for fans to enjoy.
The Fan Fest provided a laundry list of activities for the multitude of fans that came out for it, including a prize wheel, a Bud Light fan area, and a player tunnel fans could run out of. From there, fans were led to the arena by the Thunder Stix, a drumline that performed a couple of times on Sunday.
Merch station at the Fan Fest
The Philadelphia 76ers Dunk Squad performance
A packed crowd at Fan Fest
The Thunder Stix performance at Fan Fest
Interactive player walkout at Fan Fest
Bud Light fan section at Fan Fest
It was here that the show really began with ZEDD’s performance and the subsequent match. Seeing and hearing the sold-out arena cheer for the best Overwatch players in the world was a breathtaking experience and is hard to properly put into words. So, better to let the pictures and video do the talking.
ZEDD’s performance during pre-show
The Winning Moment from the floor
If history was truly captured, fans owe it to themselves to do all they can to remember it. Hopefully, this collection of images taken by the author can be a starting point. From all of us here at The Game Haus who traveled to Philly, this was a weekend for the books and one that the league ought to be proud of. Thanks to everyone who made it possible and to all of the fans that made the trip; without you, none of this is possible.
I’ll be rewatching this video for a long time. What a moment.#OWLGrandFinals pic.twitter.com/Ckcs8C1V4a
— Connor Knudsen @ OWL Grand Finals (@GoopyKnoopy) October 1, 2019
Follow me on Twitter: @GoopyKnoopy I would love to dialogue with you about anything I’ve written!
You can also shoot me a line on Discord! (GoopyKnoopy#2205)
Featured Image Courtesy of Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
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