Sad news came out of the Tier 2 scene of professional Overwatch when the Gladiators Legion announced they would no longer be participating in Overwatch Contenders going forward. This is the fifth team associated with an Overwatch League team that has dropped out of Contenders.
Gladiators Legion was the academy team for the Los Angeles Gladiators participating in the first two seasons of Overwatch Contenders. Contenders is an important aspect to professional Overwatch, but sentiments lately around the league highlights the neglect of the Tier Two scene which leaves teams with no options other than to disband.
It’s a shame that Overwatch Contenders doesn’t receive enough support from Blizzard as it is key to the longevity of the Overwatch League. Players who need a little more time to develop or are too young to participate in the league yet have Contenders, but with more and more teams leaving, potential talent can be left behind.
Gladiators Legion has produced some strong Overwatch League talent throughout their time. This includes Nathan “frd” Goebel for the Atlanta Reign and the dynamic DPS player Corey “Corey” Nigra for the Washington Justice. Most recently Ji-won “Stand1” Seo signed with the Shanghai Dragons proving the Tier Two path can produce some strong talent. Unfortunately, players and staff will have to look for new teams going into Contenders 2020 which could prove difficult.
There are a number of factors that lead to teams dropping out of Overwatch Contenders and it isn’t an easy fix by any means. Many just want to see Blizzard give more support to the Tier Two scene in some capacity. It’s integral to the development of the league as it continues to progress and build itself as a lasting entity. If things don’t change, though, it’s reasonable to assume teams will continue to choose not to pump resources into Contenders which would only limit the potential of the league moving forward.
