A group of Overwatch League teams have come together to start a collective bargaining process against Blizzard.
Overwatch League teams are demanding to be paid after Blizzard failed to deliver on promised revenue and viewership.
An investigation by The Jacob Wolf Report has revealed that most Overwatch League teams have retained a British law firm in an attempt to begin a collective bargaining process against the very franchised league they are a part of. According to reports, the teams have been dealing with high operating costs while growing frustrated with broken promises.
Sources close to the discussion told journalist Jacob Wolf that the teams have hired a media and technology-focused law firm called Sheridans with the goal of rewarding involved teams with "economic relief" since each of them spent between $7.5 million and $10 million in franchise payments over the past six years (on top of additional operating costs).
While the teams spent upwards of $16 million over the past few years, Blizzard's decisions and strategies have left the Overwatch League in a concerning position. The viewership has been painfully low, especially when Blizzard chose to switch to exclusively streaming matches on YouTube. The pandemic also forced some less-than-stellar restructuring of the league. On top of this, sponsors have been dropping out left and right due to the OWL's shortcomings.
So far, teams have not seen any profit from being a part of the franchise.
Meanwhile, Overwatch League teams have committed to $20 million to be a part of the franchise. According to ESPN, this amount is being paid over time. Teams that joined in Season 2 paid even more than that, some up to $35 million. This has made many teams frustrated going into the 2023 season, with some wondering what to do financially.
The negotiations have just started, according to Wolf's sources. Blizzard has yet to make any public statements regarding the mounting tension within the franchise.