NRG Esports' S.F.-based team in the upcoming Overwatch League yesterday announced it will be "named the Shock" and unveiled its branding in the form of a "seismograph/Bay Bridge logo," according to Susan Slusser of the S.F. CHRONICLE. NRG Esports is owned by Kings investor Andy Miller and has a list of stakeholders that includes 24 Hour Fitness Founder & CEO and BA Kings investor Mark Mastrov, Basketball HOFer Shaquille O'Neal, Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch and former MLBers Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins. The Shock "will feature" 17-year-old Team USA player Jay "Sinatraa" Won, who the team "outbid its rivals" for. It is "unclear where the Shock would play its home matches" after the league's inaugural season is played exclusively in Burbank, Calif., but a dedicated esports arena is "scheduled to open near Jack London Square in Oakland in the next year." Miller said that in conjunction with the new league, numerous Overwatch-related events "will be held in the Bay Area next year, including amateur tournaments." Miller expects that NRG will "establish a local training center for a number of its teams -- the company fields teams for nine games." The Shock’s territory "extends from Sacramento to San Jose and includes the East Bay, the likely home for a training base" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/17). Miller said, "We were up all night choosing different colors for our uniform. We went through the entire organization, and it was split 50/50 down the middle. We made a final decision, and I hope it's the right one. And the seismograph is a representation of the Bay Bridge." Miller added the team will "absolutely" be selling team branded jerseys and T-shirts. Miller: "From a merchandising perspective, this is set up exactly like the NBA. (Activision) Blizzard is going to oversee the development of all the merch, and then we'll sell it in our market and they'll sell it internationally" (SI.com, 10/16).
