LA Gladiators and Guerrillas Could be Shutting Down
| Tags: Blizzard, Call of Duty, Esports, Overwatch, Valorant
| Author Ashley
LA Gladiators and Guerrillas could be shutting down according to recent reports.
The Guard operate a few esports teams, but recent reports suggest that they’re looking to shut down of their most recognisable names. The Overwatch League and Call of Duty league teams have been searching for a buyer, and it’s possible that both teams may just be shutting down unless a proper buyer can be found.
Recent reports have said that Kroenke Sports and Entertainment might be looking to sell their Overwatch League and Call of Duty League franchises. This would mean both teams came under a new owner. However, more recent reports suggest problems in finding a buyer that might be leading to both teams calling it a day, so more free agents on the market and one less team for the OWL 2024 and CDL 2024 launches.
The Guard Potentially Shutting Down Teams
The Guard is a Pro Esports organization that’s been run by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment since 2017. Kroenke has a longer history, with interests across traditional sports and even retail under their management. The Guard is their primary esports focus though, which has been active in Overwatch, Call of Duty, and Valorant. Although their Valorant team has had mixed luck.
The Guard hasn’t been in a strong position in recent months. Reports a few days ago indicated that the organization had effectively shut down, letting all employees and other workers go from the company. Leaving the org completely unstaffed. While it wasn’t immediately clear what this meant for their teams, we’ve gotten some clarification with more recent reports that LA Gladiators and Guerrillas could be shutting down.
More recent reports have said that the Guard is seeking a buyer for both the CDL and OWL teams. This is something that fans of the team have been worrying about since the layoffs were announced, as a complete lack of employees would probably hinder them actually fielding themselves in these sports.
LA Gladiators and Guerrillas Could be Shutting Down
The CDL and OWL operate with a franchise system, but that hasn’t stopped from team slots being sold in the past. Previously LA Thieves have been moved around and this has proceeded smoothly without too much impact. So why could the sell-off actually mean that the teams are shutting are down?
At the moment, it doesn’t look like there is the strongest relationship between Blizzard and franchise owners. In January the Jason Wolf Report revealed that Overwatch League teams had collectively found legal representation. They were attempting to peruse collective bargaining and potentially further action against Blizzard, citing broken promises on revenue, viewership, and support. The teams have high operating costs compared to the payoffs of the League, especially considering the very high franchise fees that have been paid for years.
This kind of a situation would definitely make the OWL less attractive to potential purchasers. Although, it is still possible that both teams manage to find a new home despite this and the shutdown of staff.
What Will Happen to LA Guerillas and Gladiators?
With the future of Guard Esports looking pretty bleak, we can probably say they won’t be running any of these teams for the foreseeable future. However, it doesn’t mean that these days will be shutting down forever.
LA Gladiators and Guerrillas could be shutting down, but it’s not certain. Since they are searching for a buyer, there’s a possibility that the two teams manage to find a new home. In this case, there could be a location move, and there could be sweeping roster changes, but the teams themselves might stick around. Fans of the two franchises may be in limbo for a while longer though while we wait for an official response from the teams about their future.