The 300-plus fans in attendance for the match showed off their Fusion jerseys, T-shirts and scarvesPHILADELPHIA FUSION
The Philadelphia Fusion is entering its second season in the Overwatch League, but had "never played in Philadelphia -- until Saturday night," as the team faced the N.Y. Excelsior in front of "more than 300 fans" at Lucky Strike bowling alley in Center City, according to Connor Smith of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Flyers' mascot Gritty was in attendance, along with a "rowdy crowd garbed in Fusion jerseys, T-shirts and scarves." Tickets for the event were "priced at $25, or $100 for a VIP experience that included a private meet-and-greet with the players and more." The event was "sponsored by the Philadelphia-based tech firm Linode." The Excelsior "played them online from their own live event" in N.Y. (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/3).
JUSTICE LEAGUE: In DC, Scott Allen notes the DC-based OWL franchise today "unveiled its team name" as the Washington Justice. The Justice are "one of eight expansion franchises that will begin play" in the '19 season, "bringing the total number of teams" in the esports league to 20. The team's logo features a "shield branded with red and white stripes." The bottom of the shield "forms a subtle 'W,' centered around the Washington Monument." The franchise claims the single white star is “an ode to the American flag, our capital city, and a symbol of unity.” The franchise "will market to fans from Baltimore to Richmond" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/3).
REMEMBER THE TITANS: The CP's Neil Davidson noted Vancouver’s Aquilini Group-owned expansion OWL team "will be known as the Titans," and the franchise "will join the Toronto Defiant and six other new teams" for '19. The Titans logo "features a Sasquatch with the monogram of a ‘V’ in the nose for Vancouver, and a mountain range on the top of its head" (CP, 12/1). The Titans became the seventh of eight OWL expansion teams to "reveal their branding ahead of Season 2." A video unveiling the branding was "shown during the second intermission" of Canucks-Stars yesterday afternoon. It was "set in the mountains around Vancouver in British Columbia, and concluded with, 'Today, we release the Titans'" (REUTERS, 12/1).
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