Call of Duty League fans the world over are up in arms again about the top-tier esports tournament in the space. It was just announced that Major IV, which was due to be backed by the Carolina Royal Ravens in Charlotte, NC, will now be held behind closed doors in Burbank, CA. This news was rumoured a few weeks ago but it has now been confirmed by the CDL, leaving fans disappointed and crying out for something to change.
By way of an explanation, the team at the Carolina Royal Ravens simply said the change was ‘due to a range of factors’. Many have suggested that this is because the organisation can’t afford to host a CDL Major, but that’s mostly based on conjecture. Major III, which is set to unfold from this weekend in Toronto, will be unimpacted.
Disappointing Changes
This isn’t the first time that the Call of Duty League has held a Major behind closed doors and without a live audience. In April 2023, the LA Thieves won Major IV on Modern Warfare 2 in a closed event in Columbus, Ohio. It’s the most anti-climactic thing that can happen to a CDL Major, given that these events are made to welcome a live audience into a venue to celebrate the game they love.
Here’s what the CDL had to say:
‘Due to Major IV no longer happening in Charlotte, the tournament will still take place on LAN with no live audience in Burbank, CA. To ensure teams have the standard one week of break post-Majors, Major IV Qualifer Week 1 will now start on May 31st with the Challengers season also shifting one week.’
Ironically, the CDL signed off on that message by thanking fans for their continued support. Over time, the community’s perception of the CDL is getting increasingly strained, and many are calling for a revolution to take place. Most fans want something like the COD World League to return, scrapping the franchised model in favour of a wider qualification structure that allows more teams from around the world to make it to a grand stage.
With viewership concerns surfacing, organisations raising lawsuits against Activision, the sentiment around games fluctuating, and now another Major being held without an audience, long-time fans of the CDL are getting concerned. Recently, layoffs were made that impacted Activision Blizzard’s esports teams, and it’s no big secret that some organisations have struggled financially in the last year or two.
At least people will keep buying Call of Duty regardless of what happens, right?
What will the Call of Duty esports scene look like next year?
For more Call of Duty news, Esports.net
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