In the Overwatch League, business is as important as games. A good recruitment or exchange can help your team to reach the top and win titles. To have a team in the league, you can buy a new spot between two seasons — if Blizzard makes it possible — or you can buy an existing team.
This is what happened most recently in Houston Outlaws, which was bought by a Houston real estate magnate, Lee Zieben, owner of the Zieben group. For the time being, this purchase has not been publicly announced, but it should be done by the end of August. The investor would have paid $40 million to acquire the team, distributed as follows:
- 30 million for the spot
- 10 million of Houston Outlaws' remaining debts and payments
A bit of history
In early June, Immortals Gaming Club — the owners of Los Angeles Valiant — acquired Infinite Esports & Entertainment, the parent company of OpTic Gaming and Houtson Outlaws. If the other teams owned by OpTic remain under the control of Immortals, the situation could not continue for the Overwatch League team.
Indeed, if they had kept the Outlaws, Immortals Gaming Club would have had possession of two teams in the league, which is, of course, prohibited. In recent months, the management of both teams was successfully done by Immortals, but under the strict supervision of the league.
Zieben's purchase of Houston Outlaws for the 2020 season will help to regularize the situation and will also provide the team with a significant added value in home games. Indeed, the new owner is also a Houston resident and a "strong advocate for his community".
Currently, Houston Outlaws is ranked 15th overall, and is still eligible for the end-of-season playoffs.
Season 2 Stage 4 is now almost finished and the last matches will be held in Los Angeles with the Valiant as hosts. Almost all teams qualified for the Playoffs are known, but the final battle will be tough in California.
