Blizzard have officially announced that the Overwatch League will begin later this year. At the time of publishing, 7 teams have been announced for the Overwatch League and will start signing players very soon.
This will lead to some interesting decisions as players will only be finalized on an Overwatch League team once they’ve signed an official contract and even players who are on established teams aren’t guaranteed a spot.
Blizzard said in a statement..
“Players associated with established Overwatch teams—even teams from organizations that have been announced as part of the Overwatch League—are not automatically signed to those rosters. By the same token, the Overwatch League does not preclude eligible players from joining any League team because of previous team affiliation.”
Signings for season one will take place from August 1-October 30. The teams that are announcing will be able to scout and sign players during this time as well as teams who join the league during this time. The Overwatch League will also personally approve each signing.
In addition, Blizzard is mandating a minimum player salary of $50,000 per year, as well as health insurance and a retirement savings plan for each player. 50% of money from team performance bonuses, such as winning major tournaments, will go directly to the players. Total bonuses for Overwatch League teams in the first season will be $3.5 million, with a minimum of $1 million going to the season one champion.
