>>531095559
even when they were putting money into it was barely considered alive outside coin farminf. the biggest thing that has hurt OW esports will always be the absolute greed by kotick and his fucking cabal of billionaires who basically said fuck any grass roots tournaments and any circuits that actiblizz wasnt involved in, and forced OWL into existence. not to mention the absolute laughable "Blizzard Community Competition License" which contains great classics like tournament organizers being allowed to have prize money tournaments but, NOT being allowed to make a profit, and other classics that you can read which is probably the most anti community shit ive ever seen in any game that was also trying to have an esport
https://www.blizzard.com/en-us/legal/ad996a79-1b76-47af-a586-833c8af93a3d/blizzard-community-competition-license

also keep in mind that shit like fortnite fridays and open tournaments for apex did wonders for not just helping their games become popular but also worked as a ladder from amateur tournaments into official tournaments. coming from a background in fighting games this has always been absurd to me.