The regular season of the inaugural year of the Overwatch League begins this week. As the premiere esports circuit for the game, it's a massive undertaking by Blizzard, an entire year in the making. It'll feature over 100 players from around the world, with 12 areas playing host to them: Boston, Dallas, Florida, Houston, London, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, and two in Los Angeles. Whether you're an avid Overwatch fan or a curious onlooker who has never escorted a payload, our explainer provides essential facts, from how the season will flow to how you can watch the matches in person.

How is the season structured? The regular season, which begins on December 10, consists of four stages. Each stage lasts five weeks, with the final one ending on June 16. Incidentally, this end date is the Saturday after the E3 Expo.

What are the big prizes? The prize pool awarded at the end of each stage is $125,000. The Overwatch League champions will be awarded $1,000,000.

Where is the tournament held? Blizzard opened an arena in Burbank, where all the Overwatch League matches will be held. This state-of-the-art facility features multiple sound stages, control rooms, player lounges, and even a Blizzard merchandise store. The arena already played host to the Overwatch Contenders matches and the Hearthstone Championship Tour.

How much are the tickets?

$20 for the weekday (half day) events; begins at 4PM

$30 for the weekend (full day) events; begins at 11AM

The first day of regular season is sold out.

How can I track the season progress outside of overwatchleague.com? You track your favorite teams, keep up with league news, and set alerts using the Overwatch League app. You can even customize spoiler settings so you can watch completed matches without knowing the outcome in advance.

How many teams and divisions are there? There are 12 teams, split evenly into two divisions. They're made up predominantly of American teams, although the players come from all over the world. Mirroring the NFL, there are two Los Angeles teams, the Gladiators and Valiant. There also three international teams, the London Spitfire, the Seoul Dynasty, and the Shanghai Dragons.

Atlantic Division

- Boston Uprising
- Florida Mayhem
- Houston Outlaws
- London Spitfire
- New York Excelsior
- Philadelphia Fusion

Pacific Division

- Dallas Fuel
- Los Angeles Gladiators
- Los Angeles Valiant
- San Francisco Shock
- Seoul Dynasty
- Shanghai Dragons