2021 Philadelphia Fusion season

The 2021 Philadelphia Fusion season will be the fourth season of the Philadelphia Fusion's existence in the Overwatch League and their first under head coach Kim "NineK" Bum-hoon.

2021 Philadelphia Fusion season
Head coachKim "NineK" Bum-hoon
OwnerComcast Spectacor
RegionEast
Results
Record10–6 (.625)
Place
May MeleeRegional finals
June JoustDid not qualify
Summer ShowdownDid not qualify
Countdown CupRegional finals
Season PlayoffsLower round 1
Total Earnings$50,000

Preceding offseason

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Roster changes

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Free agents
Position Handle Name 2021 team Date signed Notes
Support Boombox Isaac Charles Young and Beautiful (OWC) March 10[1]
Damage Chipsa Philip Graham Option declined
Damage Eqo Josue Corona Philadelphia Fusion November 18[2] Option declined
Tank Fury Kim Jun-ho Washington Justice November 21[3]
Damage Ivy Lee Seung-hyun New York Excelsior December 22[4]
Tank Poko Gael Gouzerch Philadelphia Fusion November 17[2] Option declined
Tank Sado Kim Su-min Toronto Defiant November 21[5] Option declined
Legend
  Light green background indicates a player was re-signed by the Fusion.
  Light red background indicates a player departed from the Fusion.

The Fusion entered free agency with seven free agents, four of which became free agents due to the team not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.[6]

Acquisitions

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The Fusion's first offseason acquisition was Kim "Mano" Dong-gyu, a veteran tank player coming from the New York Excelsior who signed on November 2, 2020. The Fusion next signed Niclas "Shockwave" Jensen, a second-year damage playing who played for the Vancouver Titans in mid-2020, on November 23.[7] Philadelphia did not pick up another player until 2021; on March 15, they signed Kim "Rascal" Dong-jun, a veteran damage player coming off back-to-back Grand Finals championships with the San Francisco Shock.[8] The Fusion next signed Choi "Hotba" Hong-jun, a tank player from the Excelsior who was a part of the Fusion's 2018 Grand Finals team, on April 7.[9] One day later, they signed Yang "Tobi" Jin-mo, a veteran support player coming off a Grand Finals appearance with the Seoul Dynasty in 2020.[10]

Departures

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Five of the Fusion's seven free agents did not return, four of which signed with other teams, beginning with tank players Kim "Fury" Jun-ho and Kim "Sado" Su-min, who signed with the Washington Justice and Toronto Defiant, respectively, on November 21, 2020.[3][5] The Fusion lost damage player Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun on December 22 after he signed with the New York Excelsior.[4] Support player Isaac "Boombox" Charles signed with Overwatch Contenders team Young and Beautiful on March 10, 2021.[1] The Fusion's final free agent, damage player Philip "Chipsa" Graham did not sign with a team in the offseason. Outside of free agency, the Fusion transferred damage player Jeong "Heesu" Hee-su to the Toronto Defiant on November 23, 2020.[11]

Regular season

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May Melee

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The Fusion began their 2021 season on April 17, with a 3–1 win over the Seoul Dynasty in the May Melee qualifiers.[12] In their following match, they swept the Los Angeles Valiant 3–0.[13]

Final roster

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2021 Philadelphia Fusion roster
Players Coaches
Role No. Handle Name Nationality
Damage 18 Carpe Lee Jae-hyeok South Korea
Damage 24 sHockWave (2W) Jensen, Niclas Denmark
Damage 15 EQO Corona, Josue Israel
Damage 27 Rascal Kim Dong-jun South Korea
Tank 7 Mano Kim Dong-gyu South Korea
Tank 8 HOTBA Choi Hong-joon South Korea
Tank 21 Poko (2W) Gouzerch, Gael France
Support 4 tobi Yang Jin-mo South Korea
Support 33 FunnyAstro (2W) Hathaway, Daniel United Kingdom
Support 17 Alarm Kim Kyung-bo South Korea
Head coach
  • Kim "NineK" Bum-hoon

Legend:
  • (I) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • (2W) Two-way player
  •   Substitute
  •   Injury / Illness
  

Latest roster transaction: April 8, 2021.

Standings

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Pos Team Pld W L Pts PCT MW ML MT MD Qualification
1 Shanghai Dragons 16 12 4 20 0.750 38 19 2 +19 Advance to season playoffs
2 Chengdu Hunters 16 11 5 15 0.688 38 22 2 +16
3 Seoul Dynasty 16 12 4 12 0.750 40 22 0 +18 Advance to play-ins
4 Philadelphia Fusion 16 10 6 10 0.625 37 24 3 +13
5 Hangzhou Spark 16 7 9 7 0.438 32 31 0 +1
6 New York Excelsior 16 7 9 7 0.438 29 32 0 −3
7 Guangzhou Charge 16 5 11 5 0.313 20 38 4 −18
8 Los Angeles Valiant 16 0 16 0 0.000 2 48 1 −46
Source: The Overwatch League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) winning percentage (including tournaments); 3) regular season wins; 4) regular season map differential

Game log

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Regular season

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2021 game log
May Melee
Qualifier match 1 April 17 Philadelphia Fusion 3 1 Seoul Dynasty Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Oasis 1
4 Blizzard World 3
2 Dorado 3
3 Temple of Anubis 2
Qualifier match 2 April 18 Philadelphia Fusion 3 0 Los Angeles Valiant Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 1
3 Eichenwalde 2
3 Watchpoint: Gibraltar 2
Qualifier match 3 April 24 Philadelphia Fusion 3 1 Hangzhou Spark Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Lijiang Tower 2
3 Watchpoint: Gibraltar 2
2 Hanamura 1
2 Eichenwalde 1
Qualifier match 4 April 25 Chengdu Hunters 1 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Ilios 2
0 Havana 1
3 Volskaya Industries 2
2 King's Row 3
Regional finals May 02 Shanghai Dragons 3 2 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Nepal 1
2 Volskaya Industries 2
1 Eichenwalde 2
0 Havana 1
2 Ilios 1
5 Watchpoint: Gibraltar 4

June Joust
Qualifier match 1 May 22 New York Excelsior 3 1 Philadelphia Fusion Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Lijiang Tower 0
3 Numbani 0
2 Rialto 3
2 Volskaya Industries 0
Qualifier match 2 May 23 Philadelphia Fusion 1 3 Chengdu Hunters Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
0 Busan 2
1 Eichenwalde 2
2 Dorado 1
1 Temple of Anubis 1
0 Ilios 2
Qualifier match 3 June 04 Guangzhou Charge 0 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
Hosted by Hangzhou Spark
0 Oasis 2
3 Hanamura 3
1 Hollywood 3
1 Junkertown 3
Qualifier match 4 June 05 Los Angeles Valiant 1 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
Hosted by Hangzhou Spark
0 Nepal 2
1 Volskaya Industries 2
1 Numbani 0
1 Rialto 2

Summer Showdown
Qualifier match 1 July 03 Philadelphia Fusion 3 0 Guangzhou Charge Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Ilios 0
3 Watchpoint: Gibraltar 2
2 Hanamura 2
3 Hollywood 2
Qualifier match 2 July 04 Philadelphia Fusion 0 3 Shanghai Dragons Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
1 Lijiang Tower 2
2 Junkertown 3
1 Volskaya Industries 2
Qualifier match 3 July 09 Chengdu Hunters 3 2 Philadelphia Fusion Online
6:30 am EDT    Details
Hosted by Shanghai Dragons
0 Nepal 2
2 Volskaya Industries 3
3 King's Row 2
3 Junkertown 2
2 Busan 0
Qualifier match 4 July 10 New York Excelsior 3 1 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 1
2 Temple of Anubis 1
2 Eichenwalde 3
2 Route 66 1

Countdown Cup
Qualifier match 1 July 31 Philadelphia Fusion 3 0 Shanghai Dragons Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 0
1 Numbani 0
2 Rialto 1
Qualifier match 2 August 01 Hangzhou Spark 1 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
8:00 am EDT    Details
2 Nepal 1
1 Blizzard World 2
0 Route 66 3
1 Temple of Anubis 2
Qualifier match 3 August 07 New York Excelsior 1 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
1 Lijiang Tower 2
0 Route 66 3
2 Hanamura 1
2 Numbani 3
Qualifier match 4 August 08 Philadelphia Fusion 2 3 Seoul Dynasty Online
5:00 am EDT    Details
2 Oasis 0
3 Havana 0
2 Volskaya Industries 3
2 King's Row 3
0 Nepal 2
Regional finals August 15 Seoul Dynasty 3 1 Philadelphia Fusion Online
6:59 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 0
3 Volskaya Industries 3
2 Blizzard World 3
1 Rialto 0
2 Ilios 1

2021 season schedule

Postseason

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2021 playoff game log
East Play-ins
Semifinals September 5 Hangzhou Spark 1 3 Philadelphia Fusion Online
5:05 am EDT    Details
2 Oasis 1
2 Volskaya Industries 3
1 King's Row 2
0 Route 66 1
Finals September 5 Philadelphia Fusion 3 1 Seoul Dynasty Online
7:02 am EDT    Details
2 Busan 0
0 Hanamura 1
6 Numbani 5
2 Dorado 1

Season Playoffs
Upper round 1 September 21 Philadelphia Fusion 1 3 Los Angeles Gladiators Online
8:30 pm PDT    Details
0 Ilios 2
2 Temple of Anubis 1
2 King's Row 3
1 Havana 3
Lower round 1 September 22 Philadelphia Fusion 2 3 San Francisco Shock Online
8:30 pm PDT    Details
1 Nepal 2
3 Volskaya Industries 2
3 King's Row 4
3 Route 66 2
0 Ilios 2

References

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  1. ^ a b Young and Beautiful [@YaB_OW] (March 10, 2021). "Here are the players that will be representing Young and Beautiful in EU Contenders this 2021 season" (Tweet). Retrieved March 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b Searl, Nate (November 18, 2020). "Eqo and Poko rejoin the Philadelphia Fusion for the 2021 OWL Season". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Michael, Cale (November 21, 2020). "Washington Justice signs Fury". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Alford, Aaron (December 23, 2020). "NYXL Complete 2021 Lineup". Hotspawn. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Czar, Michael (November 21, 2020). "Sado signed by the Toronto Defiant". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "2021 Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Philadelphia Fusion signs DPS sHockWave". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Richardson, Liz (March 15, 2021). "Rascal joins the Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Richardson, Liz (April 7, 2021). "HOTBA returns to Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  10. ^ Field Level Media (April 8, 2021). "Fusion add tobi to Overwatch League roster". Reuters. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Toronto Defiant acquires former Fusion DPS Heesu". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  12. ^ Field Level Media (April 17, 2021). "Philadelphia Fusion open strong in Week 1 of Overwatch League". Gwinnett Prep Sports. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  13. ^ O'Dwyer, Jack (April 19, 2021). "Overwatch League Week 1 Round-Up". MSN. Retrieved April 19, 2021.