Philadelphia Fusion’s academy team is looking for a local player

In a bid for that Philly magic, the Los Angeles–based Philadelphia Fusion is looking to add a local player to its B team.

Fusion University, an academy team repping Philadelphia in the Overwatch Contenders league, will fill its remaining open slot via a tryout championship happening Feb. 17 at NoLibs gaming hub Localhost.

“I know Philly is going to be one of the most devoted esports markets in North America,” said Tucker Roberts, president of the Philly team. “But it’s tough to connect with Philly fans when everything is in LA this year. Hometown Heroes was an idea that we felt would give our fans something to get excited about locally and surprisingly no one in the league was doing it. It’s the kind of event I wish was around when I was younger. Everyone loves a hometown hero.”

N3rd St. Gamers, organizers of the tryout event, said the Contender League was key to the amateur-to-professional pipeline.

“A proving ground where talented young players can be groomed to compete at the highest levels, Contender League is uniquely aligned with the NSG Academy Overwatch Bootcamps at Localhost Arenas, and we are thrilled to be a part of such a unique event,” the startup said in a blog post.

Here’s a quick intro to the team and its current lineup: