Overwatch League draws huge numbers during opening week

Published Jan. 17, 2018 3:28 p.m. ET

The Overwatch League is off to a splendid start.

The League debuted last week in their new Blizzard Arena in Burbank, with the first major global city-based professional esports league.

Partnered with Twitch, the league's exclusive third-party digital broadcast parther, the Overwatch League drew an impressive average audience per minute of 408,000 and 280,000 for the week.

https://www.foxsports.com/west/gallery/overwatch-league-debuts-new-studio-burbank-011118

More than 10 million viewers tuned in over the four-day period via Twitch, MLG, and Chinese streaming partners ZhanQi TV, NetEase CC, and Panda TV.

"We're thrilled by the overwhelming response to the Overwatch League's opening week of play," said Pete Vlastelica, president and CEO of Major League Gaming (MLG) in a statement on Wednesday. "But this is only the beginning. With more than 35 million Overwatch players, the Overwatch League has the potential to become one of the most-watched leagues -- of any kind -- in the world."

The first season of the Overwatch League runs until June, with playoffs and finals scheduled for July.