With the news broken by Slingshot Esports, EnvyUs has just announced the name for their Dallas-based team: the Dallas Fuel. The name was chosen due in part of their partnership with the oil magnate Kenneth Hersh and his Hersh Interactive Group. Hersh invested a reported $35 million, and EnVyUs CEO Mike Rufail takes note of their partnership stating:
“In choosing a name, we wanted to speak to our Texas roots, connect with the legacy of our partners Ken Hersh and the Hersh Interactive Group, and provide a rallying cry for local fans as esports continues to grow. Fuel accomplishes that, and the Dallas Fuel is a team we’re proud to permanently plant in Texas.”
The Hersh Interactive Group also adds on to the choice of logo and team name for the Dallas Fuel, with managing director Randy Chappel saying:
“The logo and identity of the Dallas Fuel franchise recognize the heritage and strength of the energy sector in Texas and the business history of Ken Hersh. A powerful spark of energy is what Hersh Interactive Group and the Dallas Fuel intend to bring to the esports industry. We are excited to be the home team for Dallas.”
The Dallas Fuel unveiling video. (Credits: Dallas Fuel Youtube Page)
While there are no full roster announcements yet for the Dallas Fuel, EnvyUs has already started making moves prior to this announcement. Brandon “Seagull” Larned has already been announced to have joined the team, coming back out of retirement. With the EnvyUs squad the first seed and participating in the playoffs of the Overwatch Contenders League, it isn’t far-fetched to see all the members of the team move onward to the Dallas Fuel roster, alongside Seagull.
With the release of both the Shanghai Dragons and Dallas Fuel brands, there have been accompanying skins alongside the new logos and team names. While there has been no official announcement yet about team skins, PC Gamer reached out to Blizzard, an Overwatch League representative clarified:
“We were honored to collaborate with the Overwatch development team and Team Envy to announce the Dallas Fuel’s visual identity with a custom Genji skin for demonstration purposes. We look forward to sharing more information about Overwatch League-affiliated in-game items in the coming months.”
Team Los Angeles
There have been rumblings of another team getting their name ready for the Overwatch League. Phoenix1, the organization hired by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to run the second Los Angeles team, has filed a trademark for a name- the Los Angeles Gladiators. Phoenix1 has a good name in esports- having teams in League of Legends, Super Smash Brothers, and Hearthstone. There are also rumblings that they have hired former Kugarna coach David “dpei” Pei to coach the team, and Aaron ‘Bischu’ Kim has also been rumored to have signed as a player. However, all these news about the second Los Angeles team have yet to be confirmed and are subject to changes. The Overwatch League is shaping up to be a grand spectacle of esports, and more announcements are to come along as the road to the preseason has begun.