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Envision esports fiasco further sparks case for Players’ Union

A few days ago, the Envision coach came out publicly tweeting about the lack of prize money from Envision esports.


The former CEO of the now-defunct organisation Envision esports, Artur Minacov lay down conditions to pay outstanding dues to the players. The team owes the players several thousands of dollars in payments. The ‘demand’ by the Ex-Envision CEO definitely is uncalled for and something that should be avoided.

After disbanding the team in June 2017, Miroslav provided a timeframe of 30 to 45 days to pay its players. However, when the time frame came to an end, Robert “Roflgator” Malecki took to Twitter to vent his frustration of not being paid for his work.

Blackmailing news publications

Just a few days before the deadline, Artur Minacov contacted DotEsports demanding that they take down a couple of negative articles about him. This is a very confusing approach to a straight case of salary payment. Under no circumstances is any publication obligated to remove articles in a bid to get some players their salaries. The publication refused and now the owner is making even more excuses about the payment.

Players’ Union

It is a classic case for the Players union to take up. Ex-Envision CEO Artur Minacov has involved in several other websites such Opskins as well as a brand new game. It is important that the players receive the payments that they are yet to be paid by the organisation.

A players’ union will be able to pool their resources and ensure better facilities for themselves. For now, Envision players do have several lawyers representing them, however, this should not have been allowed to get so bad for the players. It is totally unfair to the players to have to wait for months for payment.

You are tarnishing my reputation based on the fact that the last month was not paid. But there are so much great things I did for this org and the guys. I do not appreciate those articles being around.

Artur Minacov


https://twitter.com/sweetpotatoes/status/1042815200758558720

With the CSPPA already announced for Counter-Strike, it is time for Overwatch to come forth with a players’ union. Blizzard has already stated that they would actually favour a players union in Overwatch.

Benefits of having a players’ union

There are multiple benefits to having a players union, especially in a Business model like Overwatch.

Better collective negotiating power

Esports players have little to no power when it comes to negotiating contracts. The team owners definitely have a much bigger say in the contracts and the salaries. The commencement of the Overwatch League definitely provides a lot of benefits in addition to the regular salary. However, players still do not have any power when it comes to speaking up about issues in the professional circuit.

An issue concerning a professional player can vary from the schedule to tournament format as well as the hardware provided by the organiser. These are issues that directly impact a player’s performance and can result in a substandard viewing experience for their fans.

Having a players’ union will ensure better bargaining power for the players. They will have the upper hand when it comes to issues such as demanding better facilities and ensuring a proper schedule with adequate rest. Indeed, one of the biggest complaints in Season 1 was the high number of matches that a player would have to play. The lack of a break in the middle of the season definitely impacted and resulted in burnout for several players.

Having a seat at the table when it comes to important decisions

Being a partner when it comes to taking important decisions regarding the League and the Path to pro is essential for the players. After all, it ensures the proper feedback as well as a say in the way the professional circuit advances. It is important for the players to have a say in the way Blizzard and Overwatch League handle the esports section. 

While teams regularly accept feedback from players regarding the professional scene there is no compulsion to integrate player feedback into the game and the scene. With the players’ union, professional athletes will have a much better say when it comes to the implementation of their suggestions. They have a much better understanding of the Path to Pro ladder, especially since many of them will have come up to the top via this route. 

Providing support to players from lower tiers

The players union can ensure adequate protection for players from all tiers. It will, hopefully, not be restricted to only Overwatch league players. Instead, it will definitely be a huge help to the Tier 2 scene and in turn the Path to pro by enabling them to secure their dues.

The current scenario of Envision esports is the perfect example of players union coming in to help the players. While Tier 2 / 3 players cannot ensure adequate cover and benefits, the players’ union provides security to their careers.

For now, there is no more information about Envision esports. The CEO is actually also associated with the development of another game, The Forge Arena.