With Spark1e's debut this weekend, the long wait for Paris fans finally came to an end. As one of the most hyped up prospects in the league, fans of Paris and the OWL as a whole couldn't help but watch in excitement. This post isn't necessarily about how well he performed, but the impact of a midseason debut of such magnitude and what it means for other teams.
Recent history shows few examples of prodigies like Spark1e coming into the league and absolutely dominating from the get-go. Most notably was former Shock player Sinatraa, but he did not light up the stage immediately. Most midseason acquisitions are for teams that are at the bottom of the table and know they need to make massive changes to their organization. In this case, the Paris Eternal were already on track for a playoff run, and throw a superstar like Spark1e on top? Surely, they would be unstoppable now!
Although Spark1e didn't dominate, he showed prowess on Genji, a hero who hasn't been featured in a while. While Genji might show up every now and then if Brigitte continues to get banned, I don't think he is an every-match player quite yet. Throw him in next to Soon and I think there is a serious debate to be held about having an elite duo after giving Spark1e a bit of experience in the league. But I think it is important for teams to start figuring out the ins and outs of debuts like this. If Spark1e becomes a superstar, like most expect him to be, will teams begin to take more gambles on young players that might not be able to play for a while?
Even in traditional sports, young players are often acquired years before they are expected to make an impact, specifically in soccer and baseball. Ultimately, I think the eSports scene is different enough to validate the lack of investment in such young players, but that teams should pay note when these young stars become available. If teams can build an infrastructure of talent that allows them to improve at a time when they are already competing can be a huge difference maker in a franchise's fortunes, rather than adding talent when everything is falling apart, like the Titans recently have.
I think we are all hoping Spark1e will enjoy a long and flashy career on heroes like Genji and taking the Eternal into some tournaments and playoffs with Soon by his side. As he begins to get more experience in the league, we should take note, as well as the OWL franchises, as they analyze the impact of young stars who aren't quite old enough for the league yet.
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