We are hot off the heels of last night’s Season 9 Draft Lottery, which saw our 32 Franchises learn their respective fates for the upcoming Drafts. With the Season 9 draft only a few weeks away there’s a lot of news to bring you all! So without delay here is the news…
Franchise Fates Decided
Last night the Draft order for each of the four leagues was decided on stream. But who did the wheel favour and who ended waiting till the end. Let’s find out…
It was the Sharks who got the luck of the draw in the Foundation League. This will be the Sharks first season in the Foundation league after not being involved in the inaugural season of the Foundation League in Season 8. The Pandas and Blizzard were next out of the hat at 2 & 3 respectively. For one of the founding franchises of MLE, the Elite, it wasn’t such good news as they got dealt the card of having to pick last in the upcoming draft.
In the Academy League, 32 teams eagerly awaited to find out their fate and it was Season 7 Academy League runners-up, the Jets, who flew in as first pick. They will be hoping 1st pick will improve their fortunes after a tough Season 8. The Pandas once again struck lucky getting the 2nd pick again, drawing ahead of Season 6 & 7 Champions the Wizards. Last Seasons Champions, the Outlaws have a slight disadvantage going into the defence of their title being picked last but one, that “honour” falling to the Tyrants.
With the Tyrants winning the Season 8 Champion League Championship in their inaugural season, the chances of them being picked first were slim but they again had the blow of having to pick last in the upcoming draft. On the flip side, the Spectre enter their 2nd season as a franchise with renewed optimism after being drawn first. They are followed by Season 6 Champions the Aviators in 2nd and the Outlaws in 3rd.
And last not but not least the Premier League teams were informed of their place in the upcoming Draft. With the addition of 16 teams this season, their will be plenty of places up for grabs and it was the Bears who will get first pick. In bizarre circumstances the Pandas once again got drawn in 2nd & the Spartans received some luck from the wheel after being drawn lowly in the Academy & Champion League draws. Last seasons Champions, the Foxes, were last “out of the hat”, pipped to 31st place by the team they defeated, the Bulls, in last season’s Championship Final.
Season 9 Important Dates
In case you missed last week’s Community News update don’t worry, here is a friendly reminder of a couple of important upcoming dates.
Draft Weekend, Saturday & Sunday 27th & 28th July
Draft weekend is always an exciting and nervous time for those hoping to get picked up by one of the teams. Full times, details, etc. regarding the Draft Weekend will be released nearer the event.
Season 9 start, Thursday 8th – Sunday 11th August
Week 1 of Season 9 is provisionally planned to start on the “second weekend” in August. Full fixtures and season structure will be released in the near future once details have been finalised.
Foundation League Players Wanted
MLE is a great place for players new to Rocket League or those looking to progress from the lower ranks. Many players who started out in Foundation league have improved their skills and rank, whilst having a lot of fun along the way, so if you are ranked Platinum 3 or below and are looking for a supportive & competitive environment, MLE is a great environment to develop… if we do say so ourselves. To apply for the chance to play in Season, click here.
Follow MLE
Did you know MLE has an Instagram account? MLE is present on several platforms so why not check us out and give us a follow.
Facebook: @MLEsportsGG
Instagram: mlesportsgg
Twitch: http://twitch.tv/mlesportsgg
Twitter: @MLEsportsgg
Website: https://mlesports.gg
YouTube: Minor League Esports
Final Word
With the Draft Lottery completed the 32 franchises will be hard at work trying to scout players ahead of the forthcoming drafts. Season 9 is on course to be the biggest yet and as these next couple of weeks unravel there will be lots of information to digest.
Don’t forget to keep out on league announcements for any updates, as well as the website and Twitter.
Thanks for reading, until next time…
Have fun & peace out,
Minor League Esports
