OWL Players Association Requested By Former Pro

The Overwatch League is bombarded with complaints from players as teams continue to release freelancers during the offseason. The recent complaint is from former Overwatch pro player Brandon “Seagull” Larned.

Seagull voiced out his concerns on his official Twitter account earlier this week. He said that the league desperately needs an Overwatch players’ association to discuss free agency and other related matters.

“OWL desperately needs a players association. With OW2 on the horizon, poor viewership, and a rumored late start to the season (April), teams are incentivized to drop players and save money. Why spend money on talent that might not be talent when OW2 hits?,” Seagull said.

Seagull also attached a list containing player names and trading information to the tweet. Niclas “sHockWave” Jensen of Vancouver Titans, Jason “Jaru” White of Los Angeles Gladiators, and Benjamin “uNKOE” Chevasson of Dallas Fuel are among the players mentioned on Seagull’s list.

A players’ association, according to Seagull, can protect player contracts and put the entire Overwatch League in check. It can prevent franchises from tossing players, especially freelancers, aside in a blink of an eye.

Seagull’s complaint garnered mixed reactions from the Overwatch community. Some big names have spoken out against the tweet, particularly OWL caster Andrew “ZP” Rush. ZP directly replied to Seagull’s tweet, saying:

“I don’t think that’s what’s going on at all. I think many teams have realized their current core of players won’t bring them to a championship and want to make significant roster changes. Top free agents will be signed long before the end of this year. Players like Moth / Danteh – proven talents still in their prime will have zero issues. Same for rising stars like Shockwave. But you can’t expect teams that have run the same core for years with no success (ie: Outlaws) to stick with the same roster. Many teams need change.”

Franchises were forced to drop regular players and freelancers due to multiple factors. Some became budget-conscious due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while others simply weren’t happy with the performances of their rosters. Many freelancers who lost their jobs this year resorted to streaming and content creation.