Earlier today, The Overwatch League officially announced that all homestands have been canceled through March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic. This announcement followed a series of canceled matches since the beginning of OWL 2020 season. The most recent of which was the Paris Eternal homestand, which was canceled earlier today.
The Overwatch League release reads as follows:
The health and safety of employees, fans, players, teams, and partners is paramount to Activision Blizzard Esports.
We are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 (coronavirus), city-level recommendations and mandates, and all guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After careful review and working in close collaboration with our teams, we are canceling all Overwatch League events scheduled for March and April.
Concurrently, we are working hand-in-hand with our teams to see that all matches are played when it’s safe and logistically feasible, staying as close to our originally planned schedule as possible. We are considering the various options available to esports in this effort, so that all teams – including those previously impacted by scheduling changes in China – can get back to doing what they do best.
After fans grew concerned on social media, Pete Vlastelica, Overwatch League commissioner and CEO of Activision Blizzard Esports, announced in a tweet that the matches aren’t completely canceled. “To be clear, we WILL be playing matches in March and April. We canceled the events, not the matches (though we will have to move a few things around in the schedule to make this work).” He tweeted again, saying that these matches will still be broadcast for fans to view.
As of right now, there has been no further news on what the rest of the season will look like. However, Overwatch League officials have promised to keep fans in the know. They also plan to make-up previously canceled games in hopes of leveling the playing field, but a revised schedule has yet to be released.
The Nerd Stash will continue to cover this story as it develops, and be sure to come back for all of your other nerdy news and needs!
