It was revealed hours ago that Minnesota RØKKR’s parent company, Version1, is looking at a long-term plan for its future that may not include the CDL-based esports team. It’s the majority owner of the RØKKR, which has been a relatively prominent CDL team since the League debuted in 2020. Now, it seems that Version1 is considering a merger with another organisation, but if it cannot secure that move, then it’ll sell the Call of Duty League team.
This news comes mere weeks after Kroenke Sports & Entertainment cleared house at The Guard, which effectively put the Los Angeles Guerrillas on the line. By the end of the season, if there’s no buyer for LAG, the organisation will be scrapped – as well as The Guard’s Overwatch League team.
Could Minnesota RØKKR Be Sold This Season?
Image Credit: Minnesota ROKKR
It has always been a huge ask, to break into the Call of Duty League. There’s a massive buy-in worth $25 million, and only organisations with serious financial backing have been able to enter the League. It has become a money game, with player salaries, sponsorship opportunities, and investment backers taking precedence over the passion for the game. Every off-season, bidding wars tend to take place for some of the most sought-after players, and a lot of the time, it all comes down to money.
Which is understandable, of course. In esports, it’s almost impossible for an organisation to become profitable, so it makes fair sense that they all want to make as much money as possible.
In a report from Minnesota’s Fox9 news team, it was revealed that the COO of Version1, Brett Diamond, was ‘starting a sales process’ for Minnesota RØKKR. It has been a rocky few weeks for the esports industry, with organisations pulling back from various verticals, such as TSM leaving Rainbow Six Siege and League of Legends – the latter title also lost CLG in the last few days. At the tail end of 2022, teams were also departing the Apex Legends esports scene – Team Liquid, for example.
But The League Is Picking Up
This year, the Call of Duty League has enjoyed record-breaking viewership figures, and the organisers ticked some huge boxes for the community during the opening of the season. It seems like that isn’t enough for Version1, as a ‘shift in strategy’ is still necessary for the survival of the company. By the end of the season, it’s highly likely that Minnesota RØKKR will be merged with another organisation (like OpTic Texas being born from a Dallas Empire merger) or it’ll be sold.
At present, following a somewhat lacklustre season, Minnesota RØKKR sits in eighth place on a table of twelve teams, with the Call of Duty League Championship fast approaching. It hasn’t been the most fortunate year for the RØKKR, with some rash decision being made to change up the team following an eight-match-long losing streak, almost a record-high for the Call of Duty League.
During its time in the CDL, Minnesota RØKKR has won just one Major, which was during the 2021 season. Will the squad be able to win another before its time is up?
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