Last month, I went to a Los Angeles Valiant viewing party and had a really great time. The fans were engaged and LA Valiant's PR people provided all the merch, photo opportunities, and prizes to turn any curious UCI esports fans into #Valla supporters.

So when I heard that LA Gladiators were putting on their own collegiate after party after their victory against Florida Mayhem, I had to visit. The battle for LA has already netted us one of the greatest OWL matches to date, and it appears that both organizations are equally matched when it comes to throwing an awesome party.

A personal touch

The highlight of the LA Gladiators event (hosted by the always epic Guild Hall Bar) was the one-on-one interaction between professional players and fans. The signing area was all smiles and you can tell just how much attendees appreciated the opportunity to meet their favorite players.

After the signing and photos, a raffle was held for all manner of prizes. Signed t-shirts, player jerseys and, the most valuable of all, a signed away jersey not available in stores. Away jerseys are only given to official league players, so one fan walked away with a seriously unique piece of swag.

Once all the swag had been given out, then the real fun began. Lucky raffle winners were matched against the Gladiator squad in a variety of pub-friendly board games, including Jenga, Cards Against Humanity, and the events signature challenge-- Connect Four vs. Surefour.

Surefour's first match against a fan ended in spectacular fashion, as the tactical genius managed to win in only four moves! Of course, I had to challenge him my self afterward and, I'm happy to report, I faired much better against the renowned sniper.

At the other end of the bar, BigGoose and Asher were playing Jenga while Bischu and Shaz tried to keep it together while playing cards against humanity!

This was the first time I have seen a pro team spend so much face-to-face time their fans, and the result was a genuinely fun atmosphere that unified fans from all teams. My favorite attendees were a couple that, by total accident, found themselves torn between LA Valiant and LA Gladiators as the favorite team.

Shields (and spirits) up!

All in all, it was one of the most heartwarming Overwatch fan events I have attended, with fan appreciate at an all-time high. It was a wise decision to invite the Gladiator pro's to attend the event, as its casual, laid-back atmosphere allowed everyone to unwind and have a sincerely good time.

After all, fans appreciation and support are among the reasons why pro players are able to withstand the overwhelming pressure and long practice schedules that are the realities of any competitive league. From the most practical perspective, more organizations should get into the habit of planning these type of events.

If not just to give back to the community and loyal fans, but to also motivate players in a memorable way that can't really be reproduced by your standard meet and greet.

I still haven't decided which team I want to publically endorse as my favorite, but it's hard to not like an organization when their events are such a blast to attend.