Viewers of the Overwatch League might have noticed the downturn in the amount of matches that were played over the second weekend of the 2020 season. This is because the Chinese-based teams (Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou) had to cancel their initial homestand weekends due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China.
While cancelling the matches was the right thing to do for both player and public safety, fans were left in the dark wondering when the games would be played and how the league would go about rescheduling them. Thankfully, the Overwatch League announced their reschedules and they are coming sooner than expected.
The initial homestands were scheduled in both February and March but were canceled for the benefit of everyone involved. These matches have finally been rescheduled and relocated to Seoul, South Korea and home to the Seoul Dynasty. The matches will take place over the course of multiple days in a studio in Seoul during week six and seven of the league. It is also possible that a few of the makeup matches will be played in week five within the Seoul Dynasty homestand.
The quick reschedule is good for the league as many Pacific Division teams were stuck not playing a lot of matches as the Atlantic side continued with their homestands. This way, teams will be able to get on stage sooner and show their resolve for the 2020 season.
It is unknown at the moment if the studio will host a crowd for the rescheduled matches. Despite Korea being essentially the mecca for professional Overwatch, the Chinese fan base is a key demographic to help ensure the success of the league and it would have been exciting to see the hype brought on by the homecrowds in the various Chinese markets. The latter-half of the China matches are still scheduled but it will be interesting to see how that shapes up as they get closer.