Overwatch League franchises will get a cut of the proceeds from a new slate of virtual team jerseys that will go on sale early next year, OWL Commissioner Nate Nanzer said. That is a potentially important source of income for the startup teams. Recreational Overwatch players will be able to purchase replicas of all 12 teams’ on-screen jerseys for any one of the game’s 26 heroes. The league’s home-and-away jerseys were launched in November as part of a series of in-game changes designed to make Overwatch easier to follow for spectators.
“Just like with traditional sports jerseys, purchasing Overwatch League skins will provide monetary support for teams in the league and they’re also a great way to show off your team pride in the game,” Nanzer said. These new virtual goods are different from the real OWL jerseys worn by players as they compete. To distinguish OWL-driven revenue from general in-game purchases, Blizzard created a separate OWL token system to be used for league-related products. Investors that acquired OWL spots have been promised shares of sponsorship and media revenue, along with ticketing and merchandising. Nanzer did not say how exactly the virtual jersey revenue will be split.
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