2020 Los Angeles Valiant season
The 2020 Los Angeles Valiant season is the third season of Los Angeles Valiant's existence in the Overwatch League and their first full season under head coach Mike "Packing10" Szklanny. The team will look to improve upon their 12–16 from 2019 and qualify for the season playoffs for the second time in three seasons. The Valiant will host two homestand events in the 2020 season; both will take place at The Novo.[1]
2020 Los Angeles Valiant season | |
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Head coach | Mike Szklanny |
Owner | Noah Whinston |
Arena(s) | The Novo |
Results | |
Record | 8–6 (.571) |
Place | |
Preceding offseason
Organizational changes
After releasing head coach Moon Byung-chul the previous season, assistant coach Mike "Packing10" Szklanny was named the team's interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Packing10 was officially named the team's full-time head coach in early September 2019.[2] The following month, the Valiant added former Boston Uprising assistant coach Jordan "Gunba" Graham as an assistant coach. Gunba was an assistant coach for the Valiant in 2018.[3]
Roster changes
The Valiant enter the new season with no free agents, three players which they have the option to retain for another year, and five players under contract.[4] The OWL's deadline to exercise a team option is November 11, after which any players not retained will become a free agent. Free agency officially began on October 7.[5]
Acquisitions
The Valiant's first acquisitions of the offseason were announced on October 31, with the signings of main tank Song "Dreamer" Sang-lok from the Sydney Drop Bears, flex DPS Damon "Apply" Conti, support Owen "Slur" Warner from Samsung Morning Stars, and support Mun "Lastro" Jung-won from Skyfoxes.[6] On January 7, the Valiant revealed two more additions in main tank Rick "GiG" Salazar and support Park "RaiN" Jae-ho in a skit video for the team's new color scheme.[7] A week later, on January 16, the team announced the signing of damage player Kai "KSP" Collins.[8]
Departures
The Valiant made their first offseason moves on October 23, releasing DPS Brady "Agilities" Girardi, trading off-tank Indy "SPACE" Halpern to the Los Angeles Gladiators, and trading flex support Park "KariV" Young-seo to the Toronto Defiant.[9] In mid-November, Los Angeles announced that they had parted ways with main tank Russell "FCTFCTN" Campbell.[10] On December 12, support player Scott "Custa" Kennedy announced that he was retiring from professional Overwatch play to join the Overwatch League as an analyst.[11]
Roster
Los Angeles Valiant roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Latest roster transaction: January 27, 2020. |
Standings
2020 Overwatch League standings | |||||||||
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# | Team | Division | W | L | PCT | P | MR | MD | STK |
Conference leaders | |||||||||
1 | Shanghai Dragons | PAC | 16 | 2 | .889 | 18 | 41–11–1 | +30 | W4 |
2 | Philadelphia Fusion | ATL | 15 | 1 | .938 | 16 | 44–14–0 | +30 | W8 |
Wild cards | |||||||||
3 | San Francisco Shock | PAC | 13 | 2 | .867 | 15 | 32–11–2 | +21 | W9 |
4 | New York Excelsior | ATL | 12 | 4 | .750 | 16 | 39–17–2 | +22 | W1 |
5 | Guangzhou Charge | PAC | 11 | 6 | .647 | 17 | 32–31–0 | +1 | W6 |
6 | Florida Mayhem | ATL | 10 | 5 | .667 | 15 | 27–18–0 | +9 | L1 |
Play-in tournament | |||||||||
7 | Paris Eternal | ATL | 8 | 6 | .571 | 14 | 29–26–0 | +3 | L1 |
8 | Los Angeles Valiant | PAC | 8 | 6 | .571 | 14 | 26–25–0 | +1 | W5 |
9 | Hangzhou Spark | PAC | 7 | 8 | .467 | 15 | 27–31–2 | -4 | L1 |
10 | Atlanta Reign | ATL | 6 | 6 | .500 | 12 | 24–18–0 | +6 | W1 |
11 | Seoul Dynasty | PAC | 6 | 6 | .500 | 12 | 14–20–1 | -6 | L3 |
12 | Houston Outlaws | ATL | 6 | 10 | .375 | 16 | 25–35–3 | -10 | W1 |
In the hunt | |||||||||
13 | Los Angeles Gladiators | PAC | 5 | 6 | .455 | 11 | 21–23–3 | -2 | L1 |
14 | London Spitfire | ATL | 5 | 7 | .417 | 12 | 18–27–0 | -9 | L1 |
15 | Toronto Defiant | ATL | 5 | 9 | .357 | 14 | 25–31–0 | -6 | L1 |
16 | Dallas Fuel | PAC | 4 | 8 | .333 | 12 | 18–28–0 | -10 | L4 |
17 | Chengdu Hunters | PAC | 4 | 12 | .250 | 16 | 23–37–1 | -14 | L3 |
18 | Vancouver Titans | PAC | 3 | 7 | .300 | 10 | 11–23–0 | -12 | W1 |
19 | Washington Justice | ATL | 3 | 12 | .200 | 15 | 16–38–0 | -22 | L4 |
20 | Boston Uprising | ATL | 2 | 12 | .143 | 14 | 12–40–3 | -28 | L2 |
Game log
2020 game log (Overall record: 2–2) |
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February–March: 2–2
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April–May: 0–0
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June–August: 0–0
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2020 season schedule |
References
- Hurych, Amanda (August 27, 2019). "Dates and tickets announced for 2020 Los Angeles Valiant homestand at The Novo". AXS. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- Richardson, Liz (September 4, 2019). "Los Angeles Valiant promote Packing10 to head coach". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- Scrubasaurus (October 24, 2019). "Gunba returns to the Valiant's coaching staff". Over.gg. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
- Morello, Matt (July 30, 2019). "2020 Team Needs and Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- Richardson, Liz (October 4, 2019). "Overwatch League reveals player contract status for entire league". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- "Valiant, Defiant, Justice make moves in Overwatch League". ESPN. Reuters. October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- Samples, Rachel (January 7, 2020). "Los Angeles Valiant confirm color change, officially welcome RaiN and GiG ahead of 2020 Overwatch League season". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- Richardson, Liz (January 15, 2020). "Los Angeles Valiant officially adds KSP to roster". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- Esguerra, Tyler (October 23, 2019). "Los Angeles Valiant release SPACE, Agilities, and KariV". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- Peres, Pedro (November 12, 2019). "Los Angeles Valiant release FCTFCTN". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- "Custa retires, will join Jake on OWL talent team". ESPN. Reuters. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.