Blizzard has always done a great job of making fans feel special and, during day 1 of the Overwatch League Grand finals, they have once again lived up to their reputation.

Amidst a sea of OWL jerseys, cosplays, and merchandise, fans descended upon the Barclays center in staggering numbers. We already knew that tickets were sold out for the event, but seeing it in person really put the 20,000 + number in perspective. Naturally, NYXL, Spitfire, and Fusion fans were the most represented type of fan at the Barclays Center, but Uprising, Valiant, and Gladiators were fans still managed to make a splash.

Fan engagement was through the roof throughout the event. The venue was filled with photo opportunities, pop-up stores, cosplayers and general OWL league fan service. The fans were so in tune with the OWL, any sighting of a player (from any team) resulted in audible cheering and human traffic jams.

You can't quite capture the buzz with just photos, but I did my best: