NRG Esports is a well-funded organization with some of the top investors run by Andy Miller. They were one of the first teams to enter into the Overwatch League. Now, they have unveiled their team, the San Francisco Shock.
NRG was one of the first teams to announce their eight man roster:
- Jay “sinatraa” Wong*
- Matthew “super” DeLisi*
- Daniel “dhaK” Paz
- Dante “Danteh” Cruz
- André “iddqd” Dahlström
- Andrej “babybay” Francisty
- Nikola “sleepy” Andrews
- David “nomy” Ramirez
Jay Wong made headlines as one of the first players signed at $150k a year. He ranks at the top of Overwatch competitive boards and is one of the best players in the game. The rest of the team plays out well with a few unknown players from the top pro scene. The teams do have tryouts and we have to see how this team comes together against powerhouses like Lunatic-Hai representing Seoul.
Teams have been made to rebrand by Blizzard so the Shock is now the official name. This seems to be for in game skins and products that will be produced by the league itself. The shock have Doomfist as their representative in the picture. We expect skins on all characters eventually.
NRG is in the news as much for their logo and roster as they are for their celebrity investors. Shaq, A-Rod, Jay-Lo, Michael Strahan, and Marshawn Lynch all have a stake in Miller’s team. Miller is the owner of the Sacramento Kings as well.
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“There is no better market to establish as the epicenter of esports than San Francisco,” said Andy Miller, Founder and CEO of NRG Esports, parent organization of the San Francisco Shock. “We are so excited to bring a hometown esports team to the region that has been central to the growth of gaming in North America.”
“We took great care to choose a logo and identity that would both represent the attributes and traditions of San Francisco, yet at the same time speak to the future of sports and the Shock’s ambitions to take its place as a fixture next to the Bay Area’s championship sports teams,” said Miller.
The Overwatch League has come under slight fire lately for a season one that will only take place in L.A. Making it hard for local teams to win over their fan bases in their respective cities. However, Blizzard is committed to the twelve teams and we expect a popular season. They also recently announced a new spectator mode which should help in viewship as many have said that watching games can be difficult. The real challenge comes in winning over a more casual audience to the hardcore and complex scene in esports.
Despite short term questions, esports and especially Overwatch, is expected to grow quickly over the next few years. Estimates place it at $1.5 billion in 2020. With top investors involved and more cities joining the League we expect a strong run for Overwatch.
