Meet the Dallas Fuel: Esports Franchise Unveils New Name for Team Competing in Inaugural Overwatch League Season

"We're thrilled to bring a championship-caliber franchise to the area with the Dallas Fuel," said Mike Rufail, the Texas-born owner and CEO of Team Envy. "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 Overwatch League from Blizzard Entertainment is the first major esports league to feature a city-based franchise structure; 12 franchises including the Dallas Fuel were selected for the inaugural league season. Built from the ground-up for online and team competition, Overwatch is Blizzard's fastest game to reach 30 million players.

Team Envy has been well known among esports fans as the "Boys in Blue." The Dallas Fuel official team colors are blue, gray, and black, honoring that tradition. The logo for the Dallas Fuel features an iconic blue flame set against a bold typeface announcing the team name, which carries particular significance for Dallas Fuel's partners at Hersh Interactive Group.

Randy Chappel, managing director at Hersh Interactive Group said, "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."

Esports are rapidly growing in popularity throughout the U.S. and globally, with 285 million people worldwide watching esports last year. Top esports players can command six or seven-figure salaries and live tournaments regularly play in sold-out professional sports arenas with tens of millions of viewers watching live online or on TV. Esports as a category is expected to grow to a $1.5 billion industry in the next three years, according to market intelligence firm Newzoo.

"Bringing an Overwatch League franchise to Dallas with the Dallas Fuel is just the beginning," said Rufail. "We plan to make the area a hub for esports culture and fandom—with professional teams, an arena for thousands of cheering fans to watch live competitions, training centers and more."

Envy teams have a significant history of winning in competitive Overwatch, including finishing undefeated in the regular season of Overwatch Contenders North America Season One. Overwatch League teams, including the Dallas Fuel, are currently building their rosters, with the player signing period ending October 30.

The Overwatch League begins preseason play on December 6, with a series of exhibition matches featuring all 12 teams. The regular season will begin on January 10 and run into June, with playoffs and finals in July 2018. For more information on the Overwatch League, visit overwatchleague.com.

For more information on the Dallas Fuel, follow the team on Twitter @DallasFuel.

About Dallas Fuel

Dallas Fuel, one of 12 esports franchises selected to compete in the Overwatch League, is owned and operated by Dallas-based Team Envy and their investment partners at Hersh Interactive Group. Team Envy was founded by Mike Rufail as a professional Call of Duty team in 2007, and has since grown into one of the largest and most winning esports groups in the world. In 2016, Team Envy received NowTV's Esports Team of the Year award.

OVERWATCH, OVERWATCH LEAGUE, BLIZZARD, and BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT are trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

SOURCE Envy Gaming, Inc.