On a weekend where the team was supposed to make their debut in the 2020 season, the Hangzhou Spark decided to release, not a hype video, but a video surrounding unification and respect. This comes off the heels of the league’s schedule rework due to the coronavirus outbreak within mainland China. The video, titled “Isolate the virus, not love”, spreads the message of support for the province of Wuhan and positivity going forward as the team prepares for their eventual homestand.
Image via Hangzhou Spark
The first half of the video illustrates the team’s wish to be the best homestand in 2020. The narrator explains how most of the preparations for the weekend were set and that were some surprises to be revealed at February’s homestand. (Hopefully, fans will get to see what the Spark had in store when the team hosts in June.)
The video then goes on to reveal some intriguing statistics regarding attendance numbers. It firstly acknowledges the 26 attendees who were supposed to arrive from Wuhan City. This is then followed by 46 from Hubei, 757 from the Spark’s home province: Zhejiang, and then the 1244 people around the world who decide to retain their tickets for June’s homestand. Recognizing these supporters seems like an admirable gesture beyond its numerical value for analyst.
Image via Hangzhou Spark
Hangzhou’s video then continues and addresses the outbreak situation in China. While acknowledging the issue, the Spark made sure to keep a positive outlook about the events and shed light on the future. Interestingly enough, this positivity is directly mirrored with Overwatch’s in-game message.
The narrator explains, “[j]ust like we heard from Overwatch, we are summoned and assembled. No matter if you’re watching from home, or fulfilling your duties like a hero. Protect the ones you love and fight against the virus. Our world is worth fighting for. I have been called. I must answer. Always.”
The video then ends with Tracer’s iconic line from the game’s BlizzCon 2014 reveal trailer.
Image via Hangzhou Spark
The Hangzhou Spark easily could have made a flashy roster reveal this week to fill the void of their physical absence, but they chose to do be the class act. While a full roster trailer may come before the team’s 2020 debut in early March, releasing this video in place of their homestand puts the team in a good light amongst OWL fans around the world – something that the league strives to be as a spearhead in the evolution of esports.
Here is the full video:
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