Monday Payload: OWL Midseason Madness brackets are go

After weeks of play, numerous C9s, and more than a few Houstonable matches, we're finally here. The OWL Midseason Madness bracket is set and so is the first event of the 2023 season. Switching over to a stage format for this year, the Overwatch League now looks to crown its first champion of the season.

Lets run down the format, teams, and odds for each squad of coming out on top.

Four teams from the West Division will travel to Korea, meeting two East Division titans. The Florida Mayhem, Boston Uprising, Houston Outlaws, and Atlanta Reign will join the Seoul Infernal and Hangzhou Spark to decide which team reigns in Spring. In the case of Atlanta and Seoul, those teams have earned byes in the first round of this double-elimination bracket.

For those of us watching from the United States it'll be a couple of late nights. Matches take place from the Kintex Exhibition Center in Seoul, in front of a life crowd. Will the home field advantage be enough to carry an already-excellent Seoul Infernal to victory?

Let's take a look at where each team stands coming into OWL Midseason Madness.

The 2023 Houston Outlaws are very much a different beast than the scrappy teams of seasons past. They're led by a bonafide MVP and winner in Fearless and backed up by maybe the best support duo in OWL. Houston looks to take on Midseason Madness and score the franchise's first tournament victory. The biggest obstacle in their path remains to be the Atlanta Reign, the only team to have their number through the Spring Qualifier.

Surviving the Washington Justice and removing the high-ping San Francisco Shock from contention, the Boston Uprising are a scrappy squad with a ton of killers. Like Houston, their kryptonite in the Spring Qualifiers were the top-tier Atlanta Reign. However, Boston may be able to pull out a miracle on the backs of all-star players and legendary names such as Birdring.

The Pro-Am West winners Florida Mayhem have played strong throughout the Spring Qualifiers. However, much like their other West Division contemporaries they also struggled against a top team in the Houston Outlaws. Will the other teams #LetThemCook?

Spring Qualifier record: 8-0
Map Differential: +22
Top Player: Yes

As their team name implies, Atlanta has reigned over the OWL Midseason Madness lead up. Undefeated and featuring a staggering map differential, the Reign are simply on another level. It's entirely possible the squad stumbles in tournament play like they did in the Pro-Am, but it feels like lessons were learned from the pre-season. Far and away the team to beat.

Spring Qualifier record: 6-2
Map Differential: +7
Top Player: Guxue

The second best team out of the East Division, the Hangzhou Spark share a similar sentiment with its West Division counterparts: Unable to beat the top team. Will the Spark be able to overcome the new-look fusion and rule over the city of Seoul? If they do it will be on the back of its perennial top-tier tank, Guxue.

Spring Qualifier record: 7-1
Map Differential: +7
Top Player: Mag

Well, it seems that moving your team to another continent does wonders for its player's motivation. The 7-1 Seoul Infernal walk into OWL Midseason Madness as the top team from the East. It does so on the back of flexible players. This includes former RunAway standout Mag, able to take on any tank role required. Will we see a Seoul/Atlanta finals? It feels likely.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for esports news and OWL 2023 information.