Professional Call of Duty organizations have finally received some relief from Call of Duty League with new team agreements that will further improve their financial situation and continue to support their CDL teams in the future.
“We are redoubling efforts on the business side to ensure the success and longevity of competitive Call of Duty,” said General Manager of Call of Duty Esports, Daniel Tsay who, in a recent post, revealed an updated deal with the team owners they had been working since the past few months.
Here are the updated terms:
- Outstanding entry fees will be eliminated, and any fees previously collected from teams will be returned in full.
- Teams will earn increased revenue tied to the sale of their in-game merchandise (e.g., Team bundles) and now, the Champs bundle as well.
- Increase in existing event subsidy amounts for Teams organizing live in-person events such as Majors, Opens and Champs.
- Teams will receive a two-year minimum guarantee of revenue so they can continue investing in the Call of Duty League with more peace of mind.
Today we announce major changes to our CDL Team Agreements to create a stronger, more sustainable league.
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) April 16, 2024
Read more here: https://t.co/YF3Fs6F8fD pic.twitter.com/OlsVsGQU4Y
The teams had reportedly purchased the franchise slot for over $20 million. With these changes, the teams will be receiving the entire amount or the portion already deposited, which will be huge for the organizations for further investment in esports alongside increased revenue from merch.
Furthermore, the increase in subsidy will likely make sure that tournament organizers will not face any issues like the recent change in CDL Major 4 which will now be held behind closed doors and streamed online.
Ever since the Microsoft acquisition, it seems that things are changing at Activision Blizzard. Previously, the Overwatch League was ditched for the new Overwatch Championship Series (OWCS). Now with the CDL changes, things might be taking a turn for the esports community.
The community is happy and welcomes the changes, calling it a major win for the CDL and Call of Duty esports community that will further boost the growth of the event.