Activision Blizzard has appointed Pete Vlastelica as the new Commissioner of the Overwatch League.
Vlastelica will retain his position as President & CEO of Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues alongside his new role overseeing the league.
Before joining Activision Blizzard in September 2016, Vlastelica held high positions at FOX Sports and its digital arm for six years.
Vlastelica explained why he took the position in an interview with Overwatch League: “I have been closely involved with the Overwatch League since early in the design phase in 2016, and since then I have been running the business that operates the league. Over the years I have developed close relationships with our owners and have gotten familiar with the product. When the commissioner role opened up, we thought it was important to install someone into that position who had a broad view of the challenges and opportunities the league is facing, as well as the right relationships to move things forward quickly. It turns out that was me.”
Nate Nanzer announced that he would be departing his role as Commissioner of the Overwatch League in May, opting to take control of Fortnite’s esports efforts as Head of Competitive at Epic Games instead.
Activision Blizzard unveiled Johanna Faries as the Commissioner of Call of Duty Esports on July 9th. Overseeing the title’s competitive scene ahead of the upcoming franchised league, Faries previously served at the NFL for almost 12 years before entering the esports industry.
Esports Insider says: Expectations of the Overwatch League’s Commissioner have never been loftier considering that home and away matches are coming in 2020. It appears as if Vlastelica already had a lot on his plate with his role within Activision Blizzard Esports Leagues, so we’ll have to see how he juggles all of his responsibilities going into 2020 with this new position.