San Francisco Shock
{{short description|American professional esports team}}
{{Infobox sports team
| name = San Francisco Shock
| logo = San Francisco Shock (logo).svg
| alt = The logo for the San Francisco Shock features a seismograph in the shape of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.
| founded = July 12, 2017
| current =
| current_icon = Esports
| league = Overwatch League
| region = West
| history = San Francisco Shock
(2017–present)
| parent_group = NRG Esports
| city = San Francisco, California
| colors = {{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#a5acaf}} {{color box|#FC4C01}}
| owner = Andy Miller
| gm = Chris "Thugnasty" Chung
| coach = Park "Crusty" Dae-hee
| uniforms = San Francisco Shock Jersey.svg
| main_sponsor = ampm
| website = {{Official website|https://shock.overwatchleague.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
The San Francisco Shock are an American professional Overwatch esports team based in San Francisco, California. The Shock competed in the Overwatch League (OWL) as a member of the league's West region. Founded in 2017, the San Francisco Shock was one of the twelve founding members of the OWL and was one of three professional Overwatch teams in California. The team is owned by Andy Miller, co-owner of the Sacramento Kings and NRG Esports. In their time with the OWL, the Shock won three midseason tournament titles, qualified for four season playoffs, reached the Grand Finals three times, and won back-to-back Grand Finals, making them one of the most accomplished franchise in Overwatch League history.
Franchise history
= Beginnings =
On July 12, 2017, Overwatch developer Activision Blizzard officially announced that Andy Miller, co-founder and co-owner of the American esports organization NRG Esports, had acquired a San Francisco-based Overwatch League franchise spot for an estimated $20 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40561417|title=Overwatch: Bigger than the Premier League?|date=12 July 2017|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|access-date=6 July 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/esports/story/_/id/19972188/blizzard-announces-team-owners-locations-overwatch-league|title=Blizzard announces team owners and locations for Overwatch League|last=Chouadria|first=Adel|date=12 July 2017|work=ESPN|access-date=8 July 2018}} "The local aspect of the league was the biggest attraction [for purchasing the spot]," said Miller in an interview. "One of the biggest issues with esports, and also part of its charm, is that you can create a global audience. You can have fans all over the world. But it’s always become a big challenge for fans to actually see their favorite teams. You have to fly to a major event or a finals somewhere in a major city. And there was never a hometown team."{{cite news |last=Hall |first=Charlie |title=An inside look at the new Overwatch League, with 7 city-based teams |date=July 12, 2017 |work=Heroes Never Die |url=https://www.heroesneverdie.com/2017/7/12/15956204/overwatch-league-announcement-details-teams-cities |access-date=March 20, 2019}}
On September 28, 2017, NRG Esports announced its official inaugural roster of eight players and head coach Bradford Rajani.{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/20851460/marshawn-lynch-rod-part-15-million-investment-round-nrg-esports |title=Lynch, Strahan, J.Lo part of $15 million investment in NRG Esports |date=September 28, 2017 |last=Wolf |first=Jacob |website=ESPN}} A month later, on October 16, the franchise name was revealed as the San Francisco Shock.{{Cite news|url=https://dotesports.com/the-op/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-overwatch-league-18071|title=NRG's Overwatch League team will be known as the San Francisco Shock|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=16 October 2017|work=Dot Esports|access-date=8 July 2018}}
= 2018: Inaugural season =
{{main|2018 San Francisco Shock season}}
In the lead-up to the 2018 Overwatch League season, the San Francisco Shock assembled a 9-player roster that included two underage players, damage player Jay "Sinatraa" Won and tank player Matthew "Super" DeLisi. However, due to age restrictions, they were unable to participate until March.{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=San Francisco Shock signs two new players, underage signings to debut "soon" |url=https://dotesports.com/general/news/san-francisco-shock-signs-two-players-21849 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=March 13, 2018}} The team's inaugural match took place on January 10, 2018, resulting in a 0–4 defeat against the Los Angeles Valiant.{{cite web |last=Wood |first=Austin |title=The Overwatch League Day One Results are in |date=January 11, 2018 |work=IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/01/11/the-overwatch-league-day-one-results-are-in |access-date=March 20, 2019}} The Shock encountered early challenges but made key additions to their roster on March 13, signing damage player Park "Architect" Min-ho and support player Grant "Moth" Espe. Later on, they completed their roster by adding tank player Choi "ChoiHyoBin" Hyo-bin.{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=Soobin |last2=Park |first2=Kyung Yun |title=San Francisco Shock recruits ChoiHyoBin as a new Flex Tank |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/4768/san-francisco-shock-recruits-choihyobin-as-a-new-flex-tank |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Inven Global |date=April 5, 2018}} Following these acquisitions, the Shock's performance witnessed an upturn, with Sinatraa and Super becoming eligible to play. They achieved a commendable 6–4 record in Stage 3, narrowly missing out on the playoffs due to a tiebreaker.{{cite news |title=2019 Team Preview: San Francisco Shock |url=https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/news/22861408/ |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Overwatch League |date=January 29, 2019}} Seeking further improvements, the team decided to part ways with head coach Rajani and signed Park "Crusty" Dae-hee, the former head coach of the Boston Uprising, who had led his previous team to a flawless 10–0 record in Stage 3.{{cite news |last1=Myers |first1=Maddy |title=Coach Crusty Switches Overwatch League Teams After Ten-Match Winning Streak |url=https://kotaku.com/coach-crusty-switches-overwatch-league-teams-after-ten-1825831235 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Kotaku |date=May 7, 2018}} As the season progressed, the Shock managed to secure victories in half of their remaining matches, finishing the regular season in ninth place with a 17–23 overall record.{{cite news |last1=Weil |first1=Katrina |title=Andy Miller is ready to bring home the San Francisco Shock |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/28171604/andy-miller-ready-bring-home-san-francisco-shock |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=ESPN |date=November 26, 2019}}
= 2019–2020: Back-to-back championships =
{{main|2019 San Francisco Shock season|2020 San Francisco Shock season}}
File:San Francisco Shock celebrate 2019 Grand Finals win.jpg
In the offseason leading up to the 2019 Overwatch League season, the San Francisco Shock made several significant additions to their roster. They acquired tank player Yoo "Smurf" Myeong-hwan through a trade, parting ways with Dante "Danteh" Cruz in the process.{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Nicole |title=San Francisco Shock trades Danteh for GGEA's Smurf |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-trades-danteh-for-ggeas-smurf |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 19, 2018}} The team also bolstered their support role by signing Park "Viol2t" Min-ki.{{cite news |last=Bishop |first=Sam |title=San Francisco Shock signs Viol2t |date=October 25, 2018 |publisher=Gamez Publishing |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/esports/704103/San+Francisco+Shock+signs+Viol2t/ |access-date=March 16, 2019}} Furthermore, the Shock added damage player Gwon "Striker" Nam-ju, who had previously played for the Boston Uprising.{{cite news |title=Overwatch: Shock acquire Striker from Uprising |date=December 3, 2018 |work=ESPN |url=http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/page/overwatchstrikertoshock/boston-uprising-dps-striker-joins-san-francisco-shock |access-date=March 16, 2019}}
During the first stage of the season, the San Francisco Shock performed well, finishing with a 4–3 record and securing the sixth seed in the Stage 1 Playoffs.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=SF Shock defeat Seoul Dynasty, Toronto Defiant win coin toss to finalize Overwatch League playoff bracket |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/sf-shock-defeat-seoul-dynasty-toronto-defiant-win-coin-toss-to-finalize-overwatch-league-playoff-bracket |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=Dot Esports |date=March 19, 2019}} In the playoffs, they faced the undefeated Vancouver Titans in the Stage 1 finals. Led by standout performances from Super and ChoiHyoBin, the Shock put up a strong fight and even held a 3–2 lead at one point. However, they narrowly lost the match by a score of 3–4.{{cite news |last1=Rand |first1=Emily |title=Overwatch League: Five things we learned in Stage 1 |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/26364049/five-things-learned-stage-1 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=ESPN |date=March 26, 2019}} The team found their stride in Stage 2, achieving an unprecedented perfect stage with a flawless 7–0 record and 28–0 map record. This feat made them the first team in Overwatch League history to accomplish a perfect stage.{{cite news |last1=Grayson |first1=Nathan |title=San Francisco Shock Complete Overwatch League's First-Ever Perfect Stage |url=https://kotaku.com/san-francisco-shock-complete-overwatch-leagues-first-ev-1834561791 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Kotaku |date=May 6, 2019}} As the top seed in the Stage 2 Playoffs, the Shock once again met the Vancouver Titans in the finals. With key contributions from Super, ChoiHyoBin, and Viol2t, the Shock emerged victorious, defeating the Titans by a score of 4–2.{{cite news |last1=Franco |first1=Joseph |title=The Shock down the Titans and claim the crown as Stage 2 kings |url=https://www.heroesneverdie.com/2019/5/13/18617809/san-francisco-shock-win-overwatch-league-stage-2 |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Heroes Never Die |agency=Polygon |date=May 13, 2019}} In Stage 3, the Shock reached the playoff finals yet again, this time facing the Shanghai Dragons. However, they were unable to secure the victory, losing the match by a close 3–4 scoreline.{{cite news |last1=Rand |first1=Emily |title=Dragons fend off Shock to win Overwatch League Stage 3 final |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/27192171/dragons-fend-shock-win-overwatch-league-stage-3-final |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=ESPN |date=July 14, 2019}} Nevertheless, the Shock finished the regular season with a seven consecutive wins, concluding with a 23–5 record, the second-best in the league. This secured them the third seed in the season playoffs.{{cite news |last1=Hoskins |first1=Ryan |title=Overwatch League Season 2 Playoffs Preview |url=https://www.hotspawn.com/overwatch-league-season-2-playoffs-preview/ |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=Hotspawn |date=September 3, 2019}} Several players from the Shock received recognition for their performances throughout the season. Sinatraa, Super, ChoiHyoBin, and Moth received Role Star commendations,{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Overwatch League reveals Role Stars awards |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/overwatch-league-reveals-role-stars-awards |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=Dot Esports |date=August 31, 2019}} while Sinatraa and Super were nominated for the league's Most Valuable Player award. Ultimately, Sinatraa claimed the MVP title.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock's sinatraa wins 2019 Overwatch League MVP award |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shocks-sinatraa-wins-2019-overwatch-league-mvp-award |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 5, 2019}}
San Francisco faced the sixth-seeded Atlanta Reign in the first round of the 2019 season playoffs, which followed a double-elimination format. In a tightly contested match, the Shock suffered a narrow 3–4 loss, dropping them to the lower bracket of the playoffs.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Seoul Dynasty and London Spitfire eliminated from Overwatch League playoffs |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/seoul-dynasty-and-london-spitfire-eliminated-from-overwatch-league-playoffs |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 7, 2019}} The Shock went on a run through the lower bracket. They displayed dominant performances, sweeping the London Spitfire, the Los Angeles Gladiators, the Hangzhou Spark, and the New York Excelsior. With these victories, the Shock secured their spot in the 2019 Grand Finals.{{cite news |last1=John |first1=Ian |title=San Francisco Shock Face Vancouver Titans in Overwatch World League Grand Final |url=https://www.esportsbets.com/news/san-francisco-shock-vs-vancouver-titans-overwatch-world-league-grand-final/ |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=EsportsBets |date=September 16, 2019}} The San Francisco Shock swept the Vancouver Titans 4–0, securing the 2019 Overwatch League championship title. Key points in the match included Architect's strategic Bastion positioning on Eichenwalde and ChoiHyoBin's crucial ultimate on Sigma during overtime on Watchpoint: Gibraltar.{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/overwatchs-bastion-moonlights-as-aerial-circus-act-1838622927 | title = Overwatch's Bastion Moonlights As Aerial Circus Act | first = Cecelia | last = D'Anastasio | date = September 30, 2019 | accessdate = September 30, 2019 | work = Kotaku | archive-date = November 18, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201118032102/https://kotaku.com/overwatchs-bastion-moonlights-as-aerial-circus-act-1838622927 | url-status = live }}{{cite news |author1=Scrubasaurus |title=Map-by-map recap of 2019 OWL Grand Finals |url=https://www.over.gg/12106/overwatch-leagues-2019-grand-finals-map-by-map |website=over.gg |accessdate=September 30, 2019 |date=September 29, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118032135/https://www.over.gg/12106/overwatch-leagues-2019-grand-finals-map-by-map |url-status=live }} ChoiHyoBin's performance earned him the Grand Finals MVP award.{{cite news |title=Shock sweep Titans in Overwatch League final |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/27729415/how-shock-swept-titans-overwatch-league-grand-final |access-date=September 30, 2019 |work=ESPN |agency=Reuters |date=September 29, 2019}}
In the 2020 season, the San Francisco Shock introduced a new color scheme, transitioning from their previous orange, grey, and gold colors to black and silver, with orange accents, paying homage to the Oakland Raiders.{{cite news |last1=Peres |first1=Pedro |title=San Francisco Shock shows off new skins for 2020 Overwatch League season |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-shows-off-new-skins-for-the-2020-season |access-date=January 11, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=January 9, 2020}} As they prepared for the 2020 season, the Shock brought in sniper specialist Lee "Ans" Seon-chang.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock add ANS |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-adds-ans |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=December 23, 2019}}
In the 2020 season, the San Francisco Shock underwent several roster changes. Following a 5–2 start, Sinatraa retired from competitive Overwatch to pursue a career in Valorant.{{cite news |author1=Field Level Media |title=OWL MVP Sinatraa exits Overwatch for Valorant |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-valorant-sinatraa-sentinels-idUSFLM4PzyYF |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Reuters |date=April 28, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Erzberger |first1=Tyler |last2=Wolf |first2=Jacob |title=Sources: Overwatch League MVP Sinatraa to retire, join Sentinels VALORANT team |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/29109603/sources-overwatch-league-mvp-sinatraa-retire-join-sentinels-valorant-team |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=ESPN |date=April 28, 2020}} Three weeks later, Architect was transferred to the Hangzhou Spark, and the Shock signed flex support player Lee "Twilight" Joo-seok.{{cite news |last1=Ocal |first1=Arda |title=San Francisco Shock transfer Architect, sign Twilight |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/29187771/san-francisco-shock-transfer-architect-sign-twilight |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=ESPN |date=May 17, 2020}} The Shock won their franchise's second midseason tournament title on May 24, 2020, after defeating the Florida Mayhem in the North American May Melee finals, 4–2.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Shanghai Dragons, San Francisco Shock win Overwatch League May Melee tournament |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/shanghai-dragons-san-francisco-shock-win-overwatch-league-may-melee-tournament |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=May 24, 2020}} Despite a loss to the Paris Eternal in the semifinals of the Summer Showdown,{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Guangzhou Charge, Paris Eternal win Overwatch League Summer Showdown |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/guangzhou-charge-paris-eternal-win-overwatch-league-summer-showdown |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=July 5, 2020}} the Shock continued their strong performance and clinched the top seed in the Countdown Cup, ultimately winning the tournament by defeating the Philadelphia Fusion in the finals.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock, Shanghai Dragons win Overwatch League Countdown Cup tournament |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-shanghai-dragons-win-overwatch-league-countdown-cup-tournament |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=August 9, 2020}} With a regular season record of 18 wins, 7 bonus wins from midseason tournaments, and 3 losses, the Shock finished with an effective regular season record of 25–3.{{cite news |author1=Field Level Media |title=Shock, Dragons advance in Grand Finals Weekend |url=https://www.gwinnettprepsports.com/sportsxchange/shock-dragons-advance-in-grand-finals-weekend/article_97252869-338f-5973-8734-2f4fa6c340fd.html |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Gwinnet Prep Sports |date=October 8, 2020}} Ans, ChoiHyoBin, and Viol2t received Role Star commendations, and ChoiHyoBin and Viol2t were nominated for the league's Most Valuable Player award.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Overwatch League announces 2020 Role Stars |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/overwatch-league-announces-2020-role-stars |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 26, 2020}} while ChoiHyoBin and Viol2t were also nominated for the league's most valuable player award.{{cite news |last1=Holt |first1=Kris |title=Here Are The Overwatch League 2020 MVP Finalists And How To Vote |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/krisholt/2020/08/07/overwatch-league-2020-mvp-finalists-how-to-vote/#4efa1ecf1d1a |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Forbes |date=August 7, 2020}}
In the North America playoffs bracket, the San Francisco Shock emerged victorious against the Washington Justice,{{cite news |last1=Sebastian |first1=Richard |title=OWL – New York Excelsior, San Francisco Shock Advances In Playoffs As The League Nears Its Conclusion |url=https://happygamer.com/owl-new-york-excelsior-san-francisco-shock-advances-in-playoffs-as-the-league-nears-its-conclusion-80871/ |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Happy Gamer |date=September 6, 2020}} the Atlanta Reign,{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Paris Eternal, Los Angeles Gladiators eliminated from Overwatch League playoffs |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/paris-eternal-los-angeles-gladiators-eliminated-from-overwatch-league-playoffs |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 6, 2020}} and the Philadelphia Fusion to advance to the Grand Finals bracket.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Shanghai Dragons, San Francisco Shock lock in Overwatch League Grand Finals spots |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/shanghai-dragons-san-francisco-shock-lock-in-overwatch-league-grand-finals-spots |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 12, 2020}} They faced the Seoul Dynasty in the first round, where they took a 2–0 lead but allowed the Dynasty to tie the series. However, the Shock prevailed in the final map to advance.{{cite news |last1=Cruz |first1=Migg Dela |title=Dynasty get Shocked, Dragons burn Fusion in OWL Winners' Semis |url=https://esports.inquirer.net/23623/dynasty-get-shocked-dragons-burn-fusion-in-owl-winners-semis |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Inquirer |date=October 9, 2020}} In the upper finals, they faced the Shanghai Dragons, again taking a 2–0 lead before the Dragons equalized. The Shock secured their place in the Grand Finals match by winning the final map.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock and Seoul Dynasty will face off in 2020 Overwatch League Grand Finals championship |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-and-seoul-dynasty-will-face-off-in-2020-overwatch-league-grand-finals-championship |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=Dot Esports |date=October 9, 2020}} On October 10, they faced the Seoul Dynasty in the Grand Finals, and the Shock claimed a 4–2 victory to win their second consecutive Overwatch League championship. Striker was named the Grand Finals MVP.{{cite news |last1=Rand |first1=Emily |title=San Francisco Shock win second consecutive Overwatch League title |url=https://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/30085121/san-francisco-shock-win-second-consecutive-overwatch-league-title |access-date=October 12, 2020 |work=ESPN |date=October 10, 2020}}
= 2021–present =
In the offseason preceding the 2021 season, the Shock made several roster changes, including the departures of Moth and Ans and the signings of support player Brice "FDGoD" Monscavoir and damage player Charlie "nero" Zwarg.{{cite news |title=San Francisco Shock DPS ANS retires |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-overwatch-sfs-ans/san-francisco-shock-dps-ans-retires-idUSFLM2dtyvt |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Reuters |date=January 11, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Third time's a charm: San Francisco Shock 2021 team preview |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/third-times-a-charm-san-francisco-shock-2021-team-preview |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=April 13, 2021}} Through the first half of the season, the Shock had a 7–1 regular season record, but they were unable to make either of the season's first two interregional tournaments, the May Melee and June Joust, falling in the regional knockouts both times.{{cite news |title=Fuel, Reign secure spots in OWL's June Joust |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-overwatch-dal-atl-june-joust-rec/fuel-reign-secure-spots-in-owls-june-joust-idUSFLM8VY9VX |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Reuters |date=June 6, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Sean |title=Dallas Fuel smash San Francisco, Houston to qualify for May Melee with best Overwatch in franchise history |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-fuel/2021/05/02/dallas-fuel-smash-san-francisco-houston-to-qualify-for-may-melee-with-best-overwatch-in-franchise-history/ |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=May 2, 2021}} Prior to the start of the third tournament cycle, the Summer Showdown, Striker retired from competitive Overwatch.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Striker leaves San Francisco Shock |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/striker-leaves-san-francisco-shock |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 23, 2021}} The same day that Striker's retirement was announced, the Shock signed Ans back to the team.{{cite news |last1=Czar |first1=Michael |title=Star hitscan player Ans returns to the San Francisco Shock |url=https://upcomer.com/star-hitscan-player-ans-returns-to-the-san-francisco-shock |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Upcomer |date=June 23, 2021}} San Francisco ended the regular season with a 12–4 record but were unable to make it to any of the four midseason tournaments.{{cite news |last1=González Rodríguez |first1=André |title=San Francisco Shock adds O2 Blast players FiNN, Kilo, and Proper |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-adds-o2-blast-players-finn-kilo-and-proper |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=October 29, 2021}} The Shock qualified for the season playoffs after taking down the Toronto Defiant on September 5 in the Western play-in tournament.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock, Washington Justice advance to Overwatch League playoffs bracket |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-washington-justice-advance-to-overwatch-league-playoffs-bracket |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 5, 2021}} In the first round of the playoffs, the Shock lost to the top-seeded Shanghai Dragons, 0–3, on September 21.{{cite news |last1=Parrish |first1=Ash |title=The Overwatch League grand finals were a storybook sendoff ahead of Overwatch 2 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/27/22696933/the-shanghai-dragons-2021-overwatch-league-grand-finals |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=The Verge |date=September 27, 2021}} Falling to the lower bracket after the loss, San Francisco defeated the Philadelphia Fusion and Chengdu Hunters in the following days.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Chengdu Hunters, Los Angeles Gladiators eliminated from Overwatch League 2021 playoffs |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/chengdu-hunters-los-angeles-gladiators-eliminated-from-overwatch-league-2021-playoffs |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 24, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Philadelphia Fusion, Washington Justice eliminated from Overwatch League 2021 playoffs |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/philadelphia-fusion-washington-justice-eliminated-from-overwatch-league-2021-playoffs |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 23, 2021}} Their season came to an end in the following match, as they lost to the Atlanta Reign, 1–3.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Atlanta Reign qualify for the 2021 Overwatch League Grand Finals |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/atlanta-reign-qualifies-for-the-2021-overwatch-league-grand-finals |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 25, 2021}}
After the 2021 Overwatch League season, the San Francisco Shock made significant changes to their roster, retaining only Viol2t while parting ways with the rest of the team. They introduced five rookies to their lineup, including Jung "Kilo" Jin-woo, Kim "Proper" Dong-hyun, Samuel "s9mm" Santos, Colin "Coluge" Arai, and Oh "FiNN" Se-jin.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=New kids on the throne: San Francisco Shock 2022 Overwatch League team preview |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/new-kids-on-the-throne-san-francisco-shock-2022-overwatch-league-team-preview |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=May 2, 2022}} The Shock started their 2022 season with a 3–0 victory over the Paris Eternal.Paris Eternal.{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Ben |title=Los Angeles Gladiators, San Francisco Shock, and Atlanta Reign start their 2022 Overwatch League season off strong |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/los-angeles-gladiators-san-francisco-shock-and-atlanta-reign-start-their-2022-overwatch-league-season-off-strong/ |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Gamereactor UK |date=May 6, 2022}} In the Kickoff Clash tournament, the team went undefeated in the qualifiers and secured the top seed position.{{cite news |last1=Czar |first1=Michael |title=Everything to know about the OWL Kickoff Clash playoffs |url=https://upcomer.com/everything-to-know-about-the-owl-kickoff-clash-playoffs |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Upcomer |date=May 31, 2022}} However, they lost to the Fuel in the lower bracket.{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Ethan |title=Hanbin surges through the San Francisco Shock, Dallas Fuel advance in OWL Kickoff Clash |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/hanbin-surges-through-the-san-francisco-shock-dallas-fuel-advance-in-owl-kickoff-clash |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 5, 2022}} Before the Midseason Madness tournament, the team signed Michael "mikeyy" Konicki.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock adds tank mikeyy to Overwatch League roster |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-adds-tank-mikeyy-to-overwatch-league-roster |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=June 10, 2022}} The Shock maintained an unbeaten record in the qualifiers, advancing as the top seed.{{cite news |author1=Field Level Media |title=Shock improve to 12-0 in West at Midseason Madness qualifying |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/esports-overwatch-sfs-hou-midseason-madn/shock-improve-to-12-0-in-west-at-midseason-madness-qualifying-idUSFLMvlwPc |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Reuters |date=July 9, 2022}} Although they reached the finals, they fell short against the Los Angeles Gladiators.{{cite news |last1=Parrish |first1=Ash |title=Overwatch League team loses tournament in embarrassingly hilarious way |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/25/23277168/overwatch-league-midseason-madness-tournament-san-francisco-shock |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=The Verge |date=July 25, 2022}} The team then set a new OWL record for the most consecutive regular season wins during the Summer Showdown, winning 20 matches in a row, spanning back to the 2021 regular season.{{cite news |title=San Francisco Shock Wins OWL With Streak Record |url=https://www.thesfnews.com/san-francisco-shock-wins-owl-with-streak-record/84089 |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=San Francisco News |date=October 29, 2022}} Their undefeated streak was broken by the Fuel on September 2, 2022, marking their first regular season loss of the season.{{cite news |last1=Czar |first1=Michael |title=Dallas Fuel end San Francisco Shock's undefeated 2022 regular season |url=https://upcomer.com/dallas-fuel-end-san-francisco-shocks-undefeated-2022-regular-season |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=Upcomer |date=September 8, 2022}} With a 5–1 record in the qualifiers, the Shock advanced to the Western Summer Showdown tournament as the second seed.{{cite news |last1=Sacco |first1=Dom |title=Overwatch League 2022 Summer Showdown teams confirmed as London Spitfire qualify for Toronto event |url=https://esports-news.co.uk/2022/09/05/overwatch-league-summer-showdown-teams/ |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Esports News UK |date=September 5, 2022}} However, they lost to the Fuel in the finals.{{cite news |last1=Czar |first1=Michael |title='It felt almost too easy': Dallas Fuel are the 2022 Summer Showdown champs |url=https://upcomer.com/it-felt-almost-too-easy-dallas-fuel-are-2022-summer-showdown-champs |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=Upcomer |date=September 11, 2022}} Prior to the end of the regular season, the Shock re-signed Striker, who had been a part of the Shock's championship seasons in 2019 and 2020.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=San Francisco Shock signs Striker—again |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/san-francisco-shock-signs-striker-again |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=September 29, 2022}} The team finished the regular season as the second seed in the Western region.{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Ben |title=Dallas Fuel have secured the number one seed in the West OWL division |url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/dallas-fuel-have-secured-the-number-one-seed-in-the-west-owl-division-1213673/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=Gamereactor UK |date=October 10, 2022}} Proper received numerous accolades for his performance in the regular season, being commentated as a Role Star for damage, being named the Alarm Rookie of the Year, and earning the Most Valuable Player award.{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Ethan |title=The rookie stands tall: Proper earns the MVP award for 2022 Overwatch League season |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/the-rookie-stands-tall-proper-earns-the-mvp-award-for-2022-overwatch-league-season |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=November 5, 2022}} The Shock lost in their first match in the playoffs against the sixth-seeded Houston Outlaws and were sent to the lower bracket.{{cite news |author1=Field Level Media |title=Outlaws, Spitfire pull off Overwatch League playoff upsets |url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/outlaws-spitfire-pull-off-overwatch-league-playoff-upsets/article_e6239d3d-7735-5935-9597-25e9f2e5cb9f.html |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=Scranton Times-Tribune |date=November 1, 2022 |language=en}} From there, San Francisco made a run through the lower bracket to reach the 2022 Grand Finals.{{cite news |last1=Angeles |first1=Zen |title=Overwatch League 2022 Grand Finals Day Results |url=https://clutchpoints.com/overwatch-league-2022-grand-finals-day-results/ |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=ClutchPoints |date=November 5, 2022}} The Shock faced the Fuel in the Grand Finals match. The match went to seven maps; San Francisco lost by a score of 3–4.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=Dallas Fuel wins 2022 Overwatch League Championship |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/dallas-fuel-wins-the-2022-overwatch-league-championship |access-date=November 5, 2022 |work=Dot Esports |date=November 5, 2022}}
Team identity
On October 16, 2017, the San Francisco brand was officially unveiled. The franchise name was revealed as San Francisco Shock. The team's logo features a seismograph in the shape of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in the team's colors of orange, grey, and gold. The name "Shock" and the logo were chosen to represent the large amounts of seismic energy that are present in the San Francisco area. The color gold was chosen to honor the 1849 California Gold Rush that swept the city. "We took great care to choose a logo and identity that would both represent the attributes and traditions of San Francisco, yet at the same time speak to the future of sports and the Shock’s ambitions to take its place as a fixture next to the Bay Area’s championship sports teams," Andy Miller, CEO of NRG Esports, said in a statement.{{cite news |author=NRG Esports |title=Esports Comes to Shake Up Northern California: Meet the San Francisco Shock |date=October 16, 2017 |publisher=Business Wire |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171016005990/en/Esports-Shake-Northern-California-Meet-San-Francisco |access-date=March 20, 2019}} Prior to the 2020 season, the colors were changed to black, silver, and orange, with the black and silver paying tribute to the Oakland Raiders.
Personnel
{{see also|List of San Francisco Shock players}}
= Current roster =
{{Esports player | num = | handle = | first = | last = | role = | nat=}}
{{Esports roster footer
| head_coach =
- Vacant
| otherlegend = (2W) Two-way player
| roster_url = https://shock.overwatchleague.com/en-us/roster
| transaction_date = October 15, 2023
}}}}
= Head coaches =
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Handle
! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Name ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Seasons ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Record ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Notes ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| Sephy
| Bradford Rajani | 2018 | 12–18 {{small|({{winpct|12|18}})}} | {{small|Released after 30 games in 2018.}} | {{Cite web|url=http://www.nrg.gg/news/sf-ow-roster-reveal|title=San Francisco Overwatch Roster Reveal |date=28 September 2017 |website=NRG.gg |publisher=NRG Esports |access-date=8 July 2018}} |
| Crusty
| Park Dae-hee | 2018–2023 | 86–29 {{small|({{winpct|86|29}})}} | |
Awards and records
= Seasons overview =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" | Season
! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |{{Abbr|P|Matches played}} ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |{{Abbr|W|Matches won}} ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |{{Abbr|L|Matches lost}} ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |{{Abbr|W%|Win percentage}} ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Finish ! style="background:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|1}}; color:#{{OWL color|San Francisco Shock|2}}" |Playoffs |
|---|
| 2018
| 40 | 17 | 23 | {{winpct|17|23}} | style="text-align:left" | 4th, Pacific | style="text-align:left" | Did not qualify |
| 2019
| 28 | 23 | 5 | {{winpct|23|5}} | style="text-align:left" | 2nd, Pacific | style="text-align:left" | OWL Champions, 4–0 (Titans) |
| 2020
| 21 | 18 | 3 | {{winpct|18|3}} | style="text-align:left" | 2nd, North America | style="text-align:left" | OWL Champions, 4–2 (Dynasty) |
| 2021
| 16 | 12 | 4 | {{winpct|12|4}} | style="text-align:left" | 4th, West | style="text-align:left" | Lost in Lower Round 3, 1–3 (Reign) |
| 2022
| 24 | 20 | 4 | {{winpct|20|4}} | style="text-align:left" | 2nd, West | style="text-align:left" | Lost in Grand Finals, 3–4 (Fuel) |
| 2023
| 16 | 8 | 8 | {{winpct|8|8}} | style="text-align:left" | 7th, West | style="text-align:left" | Did not qualify |
= Individual accomplishments =
{{columns-start|num=3}}
;Season MVP
- sinatraa (Jay Won) – 2019
- Proper (Kim Dong-hyun) – 2022
;Grand Finals MVP
- ChoiHyoBin (Choi Hyo-bin) – 2019
- Striker (Kwon Nam-joo) – 2020
;Rookie of the Year
- Proper (Kim Dong-hyun) – 2022
{{column}}
;Role Star selections
- Moth (Grant Espe) – 2019
- sinatraa (Jay Won) – 2019
- Super (Matthew DeLisi) – 2019
- ChoiHyoBin (Choi Hyo-bin) – 2019, 2020
- Ans (Lee Seon-chang) – 2020
- Viol2t (Park Min-Ki) – 2020
{{column}}
;All-Star Game selections
- Architect (Park Min-ho) – 2018
- sleepy (Nikola Andrews) – 2018
- sinatraa (Jay Won) – 2019
- super (Matthew DeLisi) – 2019, 2020
- Viol2t (Park Min-Ki) – 2019, 2020
- Ans (Lee Seon-chang) – 2020
- ChoiHyoBin (Choi Hyo-bin) – 2020
- Moth (Grant Espe) – 2020
{{columns-end}}
Academy team
{{Expand section|date=July 2018|section=10}}
On February 26, 2018, the Shock formally announced their academy team would compete under the "NRG Esports" name for Overwatch Contenders North America. They also revealed the team would live, train, and play in Washington, D.C., operating under a training home provided by partners Events DC.{{Cite news|url=https://dotesports.com/general/news/nrg-esports-overwatch-contenders-roster-21383|title=San Francisco Shock Overwatch Contenders roster gets a team house in Washington, D.C.|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=26 February 2018|work=Dot Esports|access-date=8 July 2018}}
On May 8, 2019, NRG Esports announced that the organization would no longer field an Overwatch Contenders roster.{{cite news |last=Samples |first=Rachel |title=NRG Esports to no longer field Overwatch Contenders team |work=Dot Esports |date=May 8, 2019 |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/nrg-esports-drop-contenders-roster |access-date=May 9, 2019}}
= Seasons overview =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Season ! rowspan="2" | Region ! colspan="4" | OWC regular season ! rowspan="2" | OWC playoffs ! rowspan="2" | Interregional | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish{{efn|Placements in 2018 reflect standings in the team's respective group and not the entire region.}}
! Wins ! Losses ! Win % | ||||||||
| colspan="9" style="background:#C7203A; color:#FFFFFF;" | NRG Esports | ||||||||
| rowspan= "3" | 2018 | 1 | North America | 4th | 3 | 2 | {{winpct|3|2}} | style="text-align:left;" | Quarterfinals | |
| 2 | North America | 3rd | 3 | 2 | {{winpct|3|2}} | style="text-align:left;" | Semifinals | rowspan="2" | None held | |
| 3 | North America | 3rd | 3 | 2 | {{winpct|3|2}} | style="text-align:left;" | Quarterfinals | ||
| 2019 | 1 | North America West | 5th | 3 | 4 | {{winpct|3|4}} | style="text-align:left;" | Semifinals | |
| colspan="4" | Regular season record | 12 | 10 | {{winpct|12|10}} | colspan="3" | | ||||
| colspan="4" | Playoff record | 2 | 4 | {{winpct|2|4}} | colspan="3" | |
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|San Francisco Shock}}
- {{Official website|https://shock.overwatchleague.com/}}
{{San Francisco Shock}}
{{Overwatch League}}
{{California sports}}
Category:Esports teams based in the United States
Category:Overwatch League teams
Category:2017 establishments in California