In less than two weeks, the Overwatch League 2021 will be upon us! Accordingly,, we’re more excited than ever for this $4,250,000 to get underway. Kicking off on the 16th April, here at esportsguide we’ve got all the viewership details in one place in this featured ‘How to Watch’ article!
Event Background
Since last season, the off-season has felt like forever for the competitive community. Indeed, all 20 teams divided into two regions are more ready than ever. Specifically, this first stage of the season will involve a total of $900,000. In addition, performance here is essential for seeding into the Playoffs upon ending in August.
Here is the list of the 20 teams involved in the franchised league:
EAST
- Chengdu Hunters
- Guangzhou Charge
- Hangzhou Spark
- Los Angeles Valiant
- New York Excelsior
- Philadelphia Fusion
- Seoul Dynasty
- Shanghai Dragons
WEST
- Atlanta Reign
- Boston Uprising
- Dallas Fuel
- Florida Mayhem
- Houston Outlaws
- London Spitfire
- Los Angeles Gladiators
- Paris Eternal
- San Franciso Shock
- Toronto Defiant
- Vancouver Titans
- Washington Justice
Format
In terms of format, teams are split into East and West as listed above. Unlike last season, this season of the Overwatch League will involve a format similar to that of the Call of Duty League. Entirely, four tournaments will punctuate the season, backed up with three weeks of qualification.
Each match-up earns a team points which will determine seeding for subsequent events – placing in the top 3 at events involves bonus points too. Overall, each match will be BO3.
Accordingly, at the end of the season, the top 3 teams from the West and the East region based on points will proceed to the epic Playoffs.
Specifically, here’s how tournaments will work:
- Three Weeks of Qualifiers – top six (west), top four (East) move to Regional Knockouts
- Regional Knockouts – single elimination bracket – top two from each region make it to the Tournament Weekend
- Tournament Weekend – double elimination with just four teams to declare a champion
Up to August, events such as the May Melee, June Joust, Summer Showdown and Countdown Cup will lighten things up too.
Schedule for the Overwatch League 2021 (CET)
There’s a massive schedule outlining the 19 weeks of competition – be sure to visit the official Overwatch League Schedule here. To facilitate our viewers, here’s the first few days of competition:
- Friday April 16th – Houston Outlaws vs Dallas Fuel (21:00)
- Friday April 16th – Los Angeles Gladiators vs San Francisco Shock (22:30)
- Saturday April 17th – Guangzhou Charge vs Shanghai Dragons (11:00)
- Saturday April 17th – Los Angeles Valiant vs Chengdu Hunters (12:30)
Watch the Overwatch League 2021 on esportsguide.com
You can also watch the Overwatch League 2021 live stream via our very own website. Providing an extensive list of the biggest esports together with streams for each esports match live today or upcoming matches.
Predictions for the Overwatch League 2021
Taking place all the way back in September, the Playoffs from last year do give us a vague idea on who the top dogs are at the event:
- San Francisco Shock
- Seoul Dynasty
- Shanghai Dragons
- Philadelphia Fusion
While these four may be the supposed favourites, do note that a tonne of roster changes have riddled the community. With that being said, expect the first few weeks to be a little unpredictable as teams adapt to one another. Regardless, I’d find that these four teams are a safe bet when thinking of picking a winner.
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