The Washington Justice and Overwatch League Come to DC in 2020 for Five Homestand Weekends

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Washington Justice and Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for Washington, DC, announced that the Justice will host five homestand weekends of the world's premier and first city-based esports league in 2020, as part of the Overwatch League's new home-and-away game schedule format. The homestands will give DC-area residents their first opportunity to engage with premier, global esports competition at live, immersive venues, and witness esports history in the making. Coming to DC in 2020 will be Overwatch powerhouses like the New York Excelsior and Atlanta Reign as well as teams representing global capitals including Seoul Dynasty, Paris Eternal, and London Spitfire.

Tickets for the Justice's 2020 homestand events start at $70 plus taxes and fees for a full weekend of events and are now available for purchase at https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/2705795. The homestands will take place:

• February 22-23, 2020 at The Anthem
• March 7-8, 2020 at The Anthem
• April 4-5, 2020 at The Anthem
• May 30-31, 2020 at Entertainment and Sports Arena
• June 20-21, 2020 at Entertainment and Sports Arena

At each homestand, audiences will participate in a unique festival-like atmosphere full of immersive live experiences, specially curated food and beverage offerings, and pre/post-game entertainment created for fans of all ages seeking to be part of the next big entertainment experience in DC.  Five homestands are the most hosted by any team in the Overwatch League reflecting the strong fan base in the region. The homestands will celebrate the Justice's inaugural homecoming to Washington, DC and the historic first look into the future of esports for the broader Capital City region.

"We are excited to welcome esports to the Sports Capital," said Mayor Muriel Bowser. "The Entertainment and Sports Arena has already proven to be a place where champions come to win and The Anthem is no stranger to welcoming stars from around the world. The Washington Justice and Events DC have found two fantastic homes, and we know that fans from across DC and the entire region will be ready to welcome the team to the District in the new year."

"In partnership with the Washington Justice, we're thrilled to host two of DC's homestand weekends in 2020 at the new Entertainment and Sports Arena in Congress Heights. This is an unmatched opportunity for the District to showcase our continued commitment to growing the profile of our local and passionate esports community, and we thank Activision Blizzard for recognizing Washington, DC as a prominent 2020 homestand market," said Gregory A. O'Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. "We plan to work closely with the Washington Justice to create festive homestand weekends and to continue to highlight the District as a top destination for esports – and as a catalyst for new visitors and entertainment attractions."

The Washington Justice is owned by Mark Ein, the DC-based investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist who is already well-known in DC sports as the owner of the Washington Kastles, the six-time World TeamTennis champions. The Washington Justice finished their inaugural Overwatch League (OWL) season strong, going nearly undefeated in Stage 4 following the OWL's introduction of the 2-2-2 "role lock" system. The Justice was also proud to have several representatives at the 2019 Overwatch World Cup held earlier this month, including players Corey Nigra, Elliot "ELLIVOTE" Vaneryd and Lukas "LullSiSH" Wiklund, along with General Manager Analynn "bawlynn" Dang and Head Coach Seetoh "JohnGalt" Jian Qing.

"In partnership with Events DC, we are thrilled to bring the Justice home in 2020 for five memorable weekends and enable everyone to check out the global phenomenon of major esports in person for the first time. Our best-in-class venues like the Entertainment and Sports Arena and The Anthem allow us to produce fully immersive and engaging experiences that our fans, in the arenas or tuning in from around the world, will never forget," said Mr. Ein. "Our Greater Washington region already has one of the most passionate and dedicated esports fanbases in the world and we can't wait to showcase Overwatch and the Justice live to an even broader audience starting in February."

The 2020 homestands follow a number of strategic long-term investments that Events DC has made in esports over the past three years, in an effort to grow the local esports landscape and its ecosystem within the nation's capital. In the fall of 2018, Events DC opened Entertainment and Sports Arena, a 4,200-seat state-of-the art arena in Congress Heights, Washington, DC with the intention of hosting live esports events and tournaments. 

For a full schedule of times and dates for the five homestands please view the lineup of global esports matchups below. All times are listed in local Eastern Time.

Inaugural Homestand Weekend: Feb 22-23 at The Anthem
Saturday, February 22
3:00PM - Philadelphia Fusion vs New York Excelsior
5:00PM - Houston Outlaws vs Boston Uprising
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs Paris Eternal
Sunday, February 23
3:00PM - Houston Outlaws vs New York Excelsior
5:00PM - Philadelphia Fusion vs Toronto Defiant
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs London Spitfire

Homestand Weekend 2: March 7-8 at The Anthem
Saturday, March 7
3:00PM - Florida Mayhem vs Toronto Defiant
5:00PM - Houston Outlaws vs Paris Eternal
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs Boston Uprising
Sunday, March 8
3:00PM - Philadelphia Fusion vs Paris Eternal
5:00PM - Atlanta Reign vs Boston Uprising
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs New York Excelsior

Homestand Weekend 3: April 4-5 at The Anthem
Saturday, April 4
11:00AM - Paris Eternal vs Houston Outlaws
1:00PM - New York Excelsior vs Atlanta Reign
3:00PM - London Spitfire vs Washington Justice
Sunday, April 5
11:00PM - New York Excelsior vs Houston Outlaws
1:00PM - Toronto Defiant vs Philadelphia Fusion
3:00PM - Paris Eternal vs Washington Justice

Homestand Weekend 4: May 30-31 at Entertainment and Sports Arena
Saturday, May 30
11:00AM - Florida Mayhem vs Shanghai Dragons
1:00PM - Houston Outlaws vs Chengdu Hunters
3:00PM - Washington Justice vs Seoul Dynasty
Sunday, May 31
11:00AM - Philadelphia Fusion vs Shanghai Dragons
1:00PM - Atlanta Reign vs Hangzhou Spark
3:00PM - Washington Justice vs Guangzhou Charge

Homestand Weekend 5: June 20-21 at Entertainment and Sports Arena
Saturday, June 20
5:00PM - Philadelphia Fusion vs Houston Outlaws
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs Atlanta Reign
Sunday, June 21
5:00PM - Philadelphia Fusion vs Atlanta Reign
7:00PM - Washington Justice vs Houston Outlaws

About Washington Justice

Established in 2018 as part of season 2's franchise expansion, the Washington Justice is one of twenty teams currently competing in Overwatch League and participates in the South Atlantic division. Owned by businessman and entrepreneur Mark Ein of Washington Esports Ventures, the organization has deep roots in the Washington, DC community with ownership stakes in a wide range of businesses, leadership in many charitable and civic organizations and ownership of other sports properties including the Citi Open tennis tournament and the Washington Kastles WorldTeam Tennis team.  The Washington Justice is the exclusive Overwatch franchise for Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. 

About Events DC

Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKCampus.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and the Entertainment and Sports Arena (www.ESAontheRise.com), all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Events DC), and Twitter (@TheEventsDC).

Contact: Ashley Forrester, 202-439-7109, [email protected]

SOURCE Events DC

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