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Call of Duty League to axe entry fees, increase merch revenue for teams

Massive changes are coming to Call of Duty esports as CDL looks to build a sustainable future.

Donovan Erskine

April 16, 2024 10:30 AM

Activision Blizzard

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Call of Duty is one of gaming’s biggest franchises, and its esports counterpart, Call of Duty League, has been looking to compete with the world’s most popular esports. Founded in 2020, CDL has seen a lot of change over its short lifespan, and it's now set for its greatest evolution yet. Call of Duty League has announced sweeping changes to its operations, including the decision to do away with entry fees for team owners.

Call of Duty League GM Daniel Tsay announced the numerous changes coming to Call of Duty League in a community update this morning. Chief among the changes is that CDL will be scrapping entry fees for the league. Previously, teams were required to pay $25 million to enter the league. Furthermore, CDL will be refunding teams that have already paid the fee.

Next up, teams will receive increased revenue for merchandise and in-game bundle sales. Tsay explains that this change will help teams drive their own financial success. The Champs bundle has also been added to this pool.

Additional changes include an increase in subsidy amounts for teams organizing in-person events and a two-year minimum revenue guarantee for teams. With these changes coming down the pipe, it’ll be interesting to see they generate new interests in the CDL. As of now, Call of Duty League is preparing for its Toronto Ultra Major 3 Qualifiers this weekend.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_