Philadelphia will be the home to the 2019 Overwatch League finals happening Sept. 29, ESPN reported on Thursday.
Citing league sources, esports analyst Rod Breslau said Activision Blizzard had decided on Philly as a site for the finals, with the Wells Fargo Center — operated by Philadelphia Fusion owner Comcast Spectacor — as the likely venue for the event.
From the report:
One source close to the league speculated Philadelphia was the choice because of Comcast Spectacor’s investment in the future arena, the heavily reduced costs of using a venue owned by an Activision Blizzard team partner and the easier logistics of hosting the finals in the U.S. than an international city.
In March, the Comcast division and real estate firm The Cordish Companies announced Fusion Arena, a $50 million project in South Philly slated to open its doors in 2021. The 3,500-seat arena, located near Xfinity Live! in the Philadelphia Sports Complex, would be the first purpose-built esports venue in the country upon completion.
Comcast Spectator declined to confirm or comment further on the report. An email sent to Activision Blizzard was not immediately responded.
If confirmed, the news would provide the Philadelphia Fusion with an incentive to get to the finals: the possibility of enjoying home field advantage.
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