Philadelphia is thought for its passionate sports fans. They’ve bought a fame for being fairly intense, even to their very own groups, however it’s largely as a result of they care a lot about them. The Philly fanbase was no totally different for the Philadelphia-based Overwatch League workforce.
Beginning as one of many inaugural groups in 2017, the Philadelphia Fusion shortly gathered a fanbase nearly instantly after it was introduced. Within the following years, the Fusion would develop its group into one of the passionate in OWL, identical to different Philly sports activities groups.
Quick ahead to 2022. Groups are gearing up for the 2023 season. Behind the scenes, gamers are negotiating contracts, employees members are fielding alternatives, and groups are solidifying their methods for the upcoming season. Followers anticipated the Fusion to remain in Korea for a 3rd 12 months, however what they didn’t anticipate was an entire rebranding of the workforce, which is able to successfully delete every little thing they know and love about its historical past in a single fell swoop.
In 2023 the Philadelphia Fusion that followers know and love can be no extra. Comcast Spectacor, the workforce’s mum or dad firm, put out a press launch on Dec. 30 letting followers know the Fusion would be transforming into the Seoul Infernal, and that they’d stay in Korea going ahead.
The transfer isn’t shocking contemplating the corporate additionally owns Korean League of Legends workforce T1, however the outrage over the choice was near-instant. Followers instantly voiced their displeasure with the choice on social media. Now as an alternative of a house workforce to root for, they’re left with a sense akin to a mum or dad that went on a trip with out them and introduced again a memento that claims “my Overwatch League workforce moved to Korea and all I bought was this T-shirt.” The rebranding is a slap within the face to anybody who has ever supported the Fusion and particularly insulting for individuals who reside within the metropolis and have been proud to have their very own esports workforce.
Philadelphia Fusion leaves behind a passionate fanbase
Earlier than the pandemic, within the peak of the Overwatch League’s recognition, the Fusion related its followers to its gamers by holding two homecomings in Philly the place followers bought the chance to spend time with their favourite execs. Followers would additionally collect at Wahoo’s, a restaurant the Fusion partnered with, to observe the matches every week and cheer on their native workforce.
After the pandemic hit, the workforce moved operations to South Korea. The transfer dissatisfied followers, with many saying the choice made them lose all curiosity within the workforce and, in some cases, OWL as a whole. Twitter responses are full of quite a lot of negativity, some offering constructive criticism about the way in which it was dealt with, and others downright indignant that the Fusion identify is not any extra.
The relocation is smart, contemplating the workforce’s ties to T1’s already established esports services in Korea, one thing Philadelphia hadn’t been capable of set up but. However the choice to fully rebrand the org appears to be the purpose of competition amongst many on social media.
Followers consistently requested when the workforce can be shifting again to Philadelphia from Korea. After two seasons of followers waking up at 5am ET to catch the matches and help a workforce all the way in which throughout the globe, they bought their reply: by no means.
Fusion followers have each proper to be mad
It doesn’t matter that the Fusion may by no means end in first place. It in all probability wouldn’t matter in the event that they completed final each season, both. The fanbase supported the workforce and its gamers that got here and went it doesn’t matter what, a typical apply for Philly sports activities watchers that bled into its esports workforce. However the Fusion’s rebrand to the Seoul Infernal has eliminated all motivation for Philly followers to stay round.
Little doubt the Seoul Infernal will decide up its personal fanbase and be simply advantageous, however Philly followers are left in limbo whereas Comcast Spectacor goes on its merry solution to Korea, seemingly for monetary causes together with sensible ones. However these causes won’t ever make Fusion followers care about this new workforce.
If the response to the information on Twitter is any indication, the Infernal should begin from scratch; though a lot of their followers may need been scattered across the nation, their most passionate followers have been based mostly within the Philadelphia space. This was proven by the completely packed occasions on the Xfinity Stay venue the place the workforce hosted occasions, and the loud and proud fanbase that confirmed as much as most of the homestands earlier than the pandemic hit.
Lots of the workforce’s earlier gamers reacted to the information, and Isaac “Boombox” Charles, one of many unique members of the workforce, stated the transfer was unhappy for the followers to lose their workforce.
The Fusion rebrand has followers questioning what the purpose of franchising actually is for OWL
At first of the OWL, the aim was to create fanbases that mirrored conventional city-based sports activities franchises. Now, followers are starting to surprise if that’s nonetheless the purpose. After the Paris Everlasting introduced its transfer to Las Vegas, and now the Fusion’s transfer to Korea, followers have one query: What’s the purpose?
Metropolis strikes aren’t a international idea to conventional sports activities groups both, however sports activities are additionally usually based mostly of their respective nations, that means attending a match may be a half a day of journey, versus the huge around-the-world enterprise it could now be for Fusion followers to attend an Infernal match.
With the pandemic considerably shaking up how the Overwatch League is formatted and the way it runs in-person occasions, the unique imaginative and prescient of OWL now looks as if it’s been left within the rearview mirror.
The OWL supplied one thing new for esports followers. Sometimes in esports, followers will comply with the gamers they like, however the OWL appeared to efficiently create an setting the place followers may persist with a workforce and nonetheless help the gamers that moved on from it. Even followers that weren’t Fusion supporters are beginning to surprise what the purpose of franchising is that if groups can simply fully change their identities and depart their fanbase behind.
There’s been no further data from Comcast Spectacor on what’s occurring subsequent with the workforce, however the rebranding has already commenced on social media. The Fusion’s picture and id have been stripped from its social media since all branding has changed over to the Seoul Infernal. Fusion followers are mourning their workforce now that it has been deleted from existence, and with it, their love and help.
