Overwatch League reportedly in talks with third-party TOs for 2024 season

The Overwatch League is reportedly in talks with two third-party tournament organizers to host its 2024 season amid an uncertain future for the league.

The Overwatch League is in talks with ESL FACEIT Group and WDG Esports to organize its competitive circuit for the 2024 season, according to a report from GGRecon. ESL FACEIT Group would take over operations in North America and Europe, while WDG Esports would take over production in Asia.

These talks are in the early stages, however, as the various OWL franchises have to hold a vote for the future of the league. If teams vote against the continuation of the Overwatch League, they will receive a one-time termination payment of $6 million.

Those franchises that vote to continue, however, will have to do so without the backing of Activision Blizzard and will need to find a new home to operate the league. Whether these two TOs will provide white-label production or organizing, meaning their names will not be attached, or fold OWL into their existing circuits is unknown.

Overwatch League looking for a new home for 2024 season

According to the report, a supermajority of two-thirds of the franchises in OWL would be needed for the continuation of the league under the new agreement. So, the talks with EFG and WDG will hedge on the outcome of this future vote.

EFG has not been involved with the Overwatch League before, but has extensive experience in other Activision Blizzard titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and the Call of Duty League thanks to its acquisition of Vindex and Esports Engine.

WDG has had its hands in Overwatch Esports since 2019 as the organizers ran production for Overwatch Contenders and the Korean OWL broadcast.

Some teams have been giving some indication of how they might vote when the time comes. Li ‘Xerneas’ Xianyao claimed that his team, Guangzhou Charge, will be taking the $6 million payout at the end of the season. Chengdu Hunters, another Chinese franchise, has already left the league and dissolved as a franchise.

Fans of the esport will have to wait until after the season, and the yet-to-be-revealed voting deadline, to find out the fate of OWL.