Everyone has watched the evolution of the professional Overwatch league with interest as well as a bit of confusion. It started with the unheard of buy-in price of $20 million per team – something which convinced many eSport staples – like TSM – to decline. It should say something that one of the largest names in eSport teams has passed on an offer, especially considering the fact that the Overwatch League has not yet determined its place in the eSport ecosystem. Its fans are still far surpassed by every other major eSport, most of which have not followed a enfranchisement and buy-in approach. By comparison, the only other eSport following enfranchisement, League of Legends, the current leader of eSports, is offering a $10 million – $13 million buy-in.

Since then, there have been updates on the Overwatch league that have been exciting and worrying. Of the nine teams currently purchased for the league, four of them come from established sports franchise owners – Andy Miller of the Sacramento Kings, Stephen Ross of the Miami Dolphins, Jeff Wilpon of the Mets, and Robert Kraft of the Patriots – four come from eSports and gaming – Immortals, Misfit Gaming, NRG Esports, and Kabam – and one comes from one of Blizzard’s own partners, NetEase.

At a time when eSports are on the cusp of massive growth – not just with CS:GO’s TBS deal, but with ESPN’s heavy interest in eSports as well as mega companies like Disney stepping in – how Blizzard builds Overwatch into the professional scene could set a precedent that all others follow.

By approaching the largest names in sports, not gaming, Blizzard is showing that they are looking at this in terms of business and little else. If TSM and other major eSport teams aren’t interested, Blizzard has shown it will not blink and negotiate; it will simply find the next person willing to buy. 

Robert Kraft, owner of the Patriot’s, recently bought into Overwatch.

Come next year, Riot will be officially franchising League of Legends, and we can assume that Blizzard will have completed or be rounding out its own franchising for Overwatch. Based on the approaches of these two companies already – Blizzard approaching established owners in favor of eSprots staples and Riot offering discounts for established teams – there may be a showdown in 2018 to see which eSport juggernaut determines the fate of eSports.