We learned a lot last year in terms of how the leagues can be structured for online play, and we’ll look to carry forward the best practices from that,” he said. "In terms of timing, it’s a reaction to the realities of how the leagues are playing and what resources we need to allocate to best serve the league, owners, teams and fans." Petitti, who reports to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, also noted that there were discussions about how to best structure the league even before he started in August. The decision took time in part because "you never take anything like this lightly," he said.
“Players are increasingly choosing to connect with our games digitally and the e-sports team, much like traditional sports, entertainment, and broadcasting industries, has had to adapt its business due to the impact the pandemic has had on live events,” a company spokesperson said. The affected U.S. workers will receive a minimum of 90 days severance and health benefits for a year.