LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immortals, the Los Angeles–based esports organization, today announced its new brand in Blizzard Entertainment’s forthcoming Overwatch League™, the Los Angeles Valiant. The new franchise, one of two Overwatch League teams based in Los Angeles, also unveiled its logo and colors, a gold-winged helmet and gold and green, respectively.
“We’re thrilled to unveil the Valiant, L.A.’s newest professional franchise,” said Immortals CEO Noah Whinston. “The opportunity to build a new sporting brand in the entertainment capital of the world is one we do not take lightly, and we thought long and hard about brand elements that would connect our Overwatch League franchise to the core values of Immortals, and to this iconic city. At the same time, we wanted a brand that was strong and distinctive enough to stand on its own and prioritized a brand, colors, and logo that emphasized the commitment to competitive excellence and championships that Los Angeles expects from its teams. We’ve achieved that with ‘Valiant.’ Signifying heroism and demonstrating courage, bravery, and determination — that’s who we are and who we will always strive to be.”
Immortals Chairman and CrossCut Ventures Managing Director Clinton Foy remarked, “Clearly there is synergy between our Immortals and Valiant brands. The helmet, to us, represents the combination of aggressiveness and protection. That’s how we feel about Immortals, and how we’ve worked with our fans to grow that brand over the last two years. We’ve pushed, we’ve made changes, we’ve grown remarkably quickly, yet at the same time, we safeguard our core values and protect those values at all costs. We plan to take that same approach in Overwatch League.”
“As an organization, we’re laser-focused on our founding principles, core values, and commitment to be the most accessible, authentic, and transparent organization in esports,” said Immortals President and COO Ari Segal. “The launch of the Los Angeles Valiant allows us to double down on those values, continuing to raise the bar for community engagement and building deep, authentic connections between our team and our fans. We are absolutely competing for championships; at the same time, we’re competing to create the most unique, compelling and differentiated live entertainment experience in this marketplace. Our fans will be key pieces of both journeys.”
Announced at BlizzCon 2016, Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch League represents an evolution in the world of esports. Overwatch, first released in May 2016, was designed and released with competitive professional gaming and esports in mind, and has grown rapidly, boasting 35 million players worldwide. Overwatch League, which launches in December with preseason play, is the first major global esports league built on the local franchise model endemic to traditional sports leagues. Overwatch League is the first professional sports league to enjoy a truly global footprint, with teams based in the United States, China, Europe, and South Korea.
Overwatch League kicks off preseason play on December 6, 2017, with a series of exhibition matches featuring all 12 teams. The regular season begins January 10, 2018, and will run through June, with playoffs beginning in July. Games will be played at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles in Burbank. For additional information on Overwatch League, please visit OverwatchLeague.com.
For more information, follow the team on Twitter @LAValiant.
About Los Angeles Valiant
Los Angeles Valiant, one of the 12 inaugural teams for Overwatch League, is owned and operated by Immortals and CEO Noah Whinston from its home in Culver City, California. Immortals was founded in 2016 with an unprecedented dedication to fan support and player well-being. Committed to creating a long-lasting community of professional gamers, aspiring players, and passionate fans, Immortals and the L.A. Valiant are united by our commitment to camaraderie and competitive excellence. Always remaining true to our values and ethics, the team takes pride in providing an authentic brand that fans can be proud to cheer on to victory.
OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD, and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
