Blizzard Entertainment has "secured six agreements ... of intent to participate in its upcoming Overwatch League," including Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and Mets co-Owner Fred Wilpon, according to sources cited by Jacob Wolf of ESPN.com. The league has "reached agreements for teams to be located" in L.A., S.F., N.Y., Boston, Shanghai and Seoul. Sources said that the buy-in price for L.A.-based Immortals and S.F.-based NRG Esports is $20M per team, to be "paid over time." The prices for the Kraft and Wilpon groups and the non-North American spots have "not been disclosed." Of the four American cities, two will be "occupied by groups non-endemic to esports ownership." Kraft Sports Group is "guaranteed the Boston spot." Sources said that the N.Y. team will be "owned and operated by Wilpon" and his family. Immortals "will control" the L.A. spot, while NRG "will obtain" the S.F. spot. Immortals is funded by Grizzlies co-Owner Stephen Kaplan, and the esports team recently "announced an investment" from AEG. NRG was launched by NBA Kings investors Andrew Miller and Mark Mastrov. The team also has investments from Basketball HOFer Shaquille O'Neal and former MLBers Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins. Sources said that Blizzard "is seeking" a $20M buy-in from prospective owners, with "no revenue sharing" until '21 and a 25% fee (ESPN.com, 7/6).
