Uprising Academy

Uprising Academy is an American esports team for the video game Overwatch competing in Overwatch Contenders (OWC) and an academy team for the Boston Uprising of the Overwatch League (OWL). The franchise played its first four seasons as Toronto Esports; shortly after being purchased by the Kraft Group, the team rebranded as Uprising Academy due to a naming rights issue with Toronto Defiant. The team is based in Boston, Massachusetts and plays in the North America East region of OWC.

Uprising Academy
Founded2016
LeagueOverwatch Contenders
DivisionAtlantic
RegionNorth America East
Team historyToronto Esports
2016–2018
Uprising Academy
2018–present
Based inBoston, Massachusetts
ColorsBlue, yellow, white
              
OwnerRobert Kraft
Head coachJacob "Spilo" Clifton
Affiliation(s)Boston Uprising
Regional titles
  • 0
Interregional titles
  • 0

Franchise history

2016–2018: Toronto Esports

Toronto Esports Club, a multi-game esports organization, announced their intention to enter the competitive Overwatch scene under the name Toronto Esports on August 6 with the hiring of Chris "HuK" Loranger as the team's Overwatch consultant manager;[1] a month later, the club announced their first professional Overwatch roster.[2] Toronto Esports competed in North America Contenders 2017 Season 0,[3] but failed to qualify for 2017 Season 1.[4]

On February 19, 2018, Uprising announced that Toronto Esports would be competing as Boston's academy team in Contenders for 2018 Season 1.[4] In their first season as an affiliate team, Toronto made it to the North America Grand Finals, where the team fell 1–4 to Fusion University.[5] The team again qualified for the playoffs in 2018 Season 2, where they faced Fusion University in the quarterfinals; although the match was closer than their Grand Finals match the previous season, Toronto lost 2–3.[6]

In November 2018, Blizzard Entertainment informed Toronto Esports Club that the team must drop the word "Toronto" from its Overwatch team brand, as the new Overwatch League expansion team Toronto Defiant had "exclusive naming rights" in the city.[7] The club responded by attempting to disband their Overwatch team altogether, posting on Twitter,

We have been informed by Blizzard that we will be forced to remove 'Toronto' from our brand in only 6 weeks. Mid Contenders season 3. The reason cited: @TorontoDefiant have purchased 'exclusive naming rights.' We will be leaving Overwatch effective immediately. Good riddance.

However, Loranger clarified that the Kraft organization still owned all the rights to the players, coaches, and the Contenders slot held by the team and would continue to compete in Contenders, albeit under a new brand.[8]

2018–present: Uprising Academy

On November 28, 2018, the team officially announced that they would be competing under the name Uprising Academy.[9] In 2018 Season 3, Uprising qualified for the playoffs, but fell to XL2 Academy in the quarterfinals.[10] The team did not qualify for the playoffs the following season, posting a 1–6 record, and marking the first time they failed to qualify for the playoffs since becoming an OWL affiliate team.[11] In 2019 Season 2, Uprising Academy finished the regular season with a 5–2 record to qualify for the NA East regional playoffs.[12] However, the team fell to the Gladiators Legion in the NA East quarterfinals match.

Seasons overview
Year Season Region OWC regular season Regional playoffs Interregional events
Finish[lower-alpha 1] Wins Losses Win %
Toronto Esports
20170North America3rd13.250None held
1North AmericaDid not qualify
20181North America1st41.800Runners-up
2North America4th23.400QuarterfinalsNone held
Uprising Academy
20183North America4th23.400QuarterfinalsNone held
20191North America East8th16.143
2North America East3rd52.714Quarterfinals
2020 1 North America 8th 1 2 .333 None held
Regular season record1620.444
Playoff record24.333
  1. Placements in 2017 Season 0 and all of 2018 reflect standings in the team's respective group and not the entire region.

Current roster
Uprising Academy roster
PlayersCoaches
RoleHandleNameNationalityPrevious team
Damage im37 (I)  Hong Jin-ui  South Korea  Light Gaming 
Damage TAP  Prins, Thomas   Netherlands  None 
Tank kraandop  Rensen, Timber   Netherlands  Young and Beautiful 
Tank False  Nick, Wiseman   Canada  Karasuno 
Support SixFeet  Xia, Lin   Canada  T1 
Support dridro  Szanto, Arthur   France  Montreal Rebellion 
Support Aztac  Park Jeong-su  South Korea  World Game Star Phoenix 
Head coach
  • Jacob "Spilo" Clifton
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (2W) Two-way player
  • (I) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injury/Illness

Latest roster transaction: July 1, 2020.

OWL buyouts and promotions

All Overwatch Contenders players are eligible to be promoted by their affiliated Overwatch League team or signed to any other Overwatch League during specified non-blackout periods.[13]

2018
  • Support Harrison "Kruise" Pond was signed by new expansion franchise Paris Eternal on October 23.[14]
  • Tank Park "Axxiom" Min-seob and DPS Kelsey "Colourhex" Birse were promoted to Boston Uprising on October 30.[15]
  • DPS Charlie "nero" Zwarg and support Kim "Shu" Jin-seo were signed to Guangzhou Charge on November 22.[16]

2019
  • Tank Cameron "Fusions" Bosworth was promoted to Boston Uprising on February 12.[17]
  • Support Gabriel "Swimmer" Levy and tank Walid "Mouffin" Bassal were promoted to Boston Uprising on November 7, with Mouffin on a two-way contract.[18]
  • DPS Chris "MirroR" Trinh was signed to the Los Angeles Gladiators on November 12.[19]

OWL affiliates

Uprising Academy

Toronto Esports

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References
  1. "Chris 'HuK' Loranger joins as Toronto Esports Overwatch consultant manager". Toronto Esports Club. August 9, 2016. Archived from the original on December 17, 2016.
  2. "Toronto Esports announces Overwatch Pro Roster". Toronto Esports Club. September 6, 2016. Archived from the original on December 17, 2016.
  3. Golsin, Austen (June 16, 2017). "Overwatch Contenders NA Preview: Big orgs, amateur squads clash in Group Stage". Heroes Never Die. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  4. Carpenter, Nicole (February 20, 2018). "Toronto Esports' Overwatch squad join Contenders in partnership with Boston Uprising". Dot Esports. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  5. Meyer, Guilherme (May 14, 2018). "In Case you Missed Anything: Esports Weekend + Monday News Recap". Inven Global. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  6. O'Brien, Joe (August 9, 2018). "WhoRU Slaughters Toronto Esports in Overwatch Contenders NA Playoffs". Dexerto. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  7. Chalk, Andy (November 14, 2018). "Toronto Esports Club quits Overwatch after being told it has to change its name". PC Gamer. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  8. Mudhar, Raju (November 16, 2018). "An esports battle erupts in Toronto over the use of the city in a team name". The Star. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  9. @UprisingAcad (November 28, 2018). "Meet the Uprising Academy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. O'Brien, Joe (February 4, 2019). "Overwatch pro pulls off insanely clutch long-distance Graviton Surge". Dexerto. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  11. April, Olivia (April 19, 2019). "Overwatch Contenders announce three live events coming in May". Win.gg. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  12. Rockwood, Bryan (August 13, 2019). "Uprising Academy Quarterfinal Preview". The Game Haus. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  13. Olmstead, Sydney (June 14, 2018). "Blizzard Reveals Information About Overwatch League Offseason". VGR. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  14. Mary-Justice, Amelia (October 23, 2018). "New Paris OWL roster includes SoOn, ShaDowBurn, more fan favorites". Inven Global. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  15. Mallow, Max (October 30, 2018). "Boston Uprising Adds ColourHex and Axxiom to Overwatch League Roster". DBLTAP. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  16. Mary-Justice, Amelia (November 23, 2018). "Guangzhou Charge Reveals Full Roster Incl. Kyb, Eileen, Happy". Inven Global. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  17. Sacco, Dom (February 13, 2019). "UK Player Fusions Called Up to Overwatch League Side Boston Uprising". Esports News UK. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  18. Richardson, Liz (November 7, 2019). "Boston Uprising promote Swimmer and Mouffin". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  19. Richardson, Liz (November 12, 2019). "Los Angeles Gladiators sign MirroR". Dot Esports. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
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