The Call of Duty franchise has been a mainstay for years now. The franchise follows an annual release model, and while that may upset some gamers, the fanbase is there as Call of Duty continues to make great sales with each release. A successful esports scene has emerged with the franchise, but now they are looking to take it even further. Activision Blizzard has plans for a Call of Duty League that hopes to reach a wide audience and further solidify the game franchise as one of the most popular video game franchises of all time.
Following The Overwatch League Path
Activision Blizzard has been understandably quiet about the plans they have for the Call of Duty League. Hints have been occasionally dropped, but the only real indication of anything is that it will follow the same format that the Overwatch League has implemented.
Like the Overwatch League, the Call of Duty league will be localized franchises. This model is important for the sustainability of the leagues and helping the esports scene become mainstream. Local markets are an incredibly important aspect to traditional sports leagues and Overwatch League will look to tap into that starting in 2020 when they go global.
Overwatch League laid the ground work for the Call of Duty League. Two seasons of OWL were played in Los Angeles (with a few away games) but will now become what the league set out to do in the first place. Call of Duty League will seemingly already be featured across local markets instead of being in a centralized location. It will be exciting to see how the anticipation for the league continues to grow as more information is revealed.
A Heavy Price
If you want to become an owner for one of the Call of Duty League teams, now is your chance. That is, if you are willing to throw $25 million into the pot. Teams will be priced at $25 million (a short jump up from the initial $20 million price for the first 12 OWL teams). Still, a $25 million price-tag isn't unreasonable at all and way under the price for the OWL expansion teams which were speculated to reach up to $60 million.
Meetings have begun taking place for potential buyers that include esports organizations that already have Call of Duty teams. Owners of Overwatch League teams have first dibs on their respective markets and it is safe to assume at least a few owners will get in on the action of the exciting new league. Imagine a world where a city will be home to an Overwatch League team and a Call of Duty League team. It's a possible future that will hopefully be another stepping stone in legitimizing esports in the mainstream.
Locations
As of right now, nine teams have been confirmed for various locations around the United States and across the ocean. The locations are New York, Paris, Dallas, Atlanta, Toronto, Minnesota, Florida, and two LA-based teams.
New York, Dallas, Paris, Atlanta, Florida, and LA will now have teams in multiple esports leagues and it's an exciting time for esports fans in the markets. Minnesota is the outlier for not having an OWL team, but if the Call of Duty League team is a success, a Minnesota expansion team for OWL is a strong possibility.
It's safe to assume that more teams will be announced in more markets, such as the Asian-based teams, a few more US teams, and another European team is likely.
Speculation
The Call of Duty League will begin in 2020 and is reported to follow up the 2020 Overwatch League season. Official dates haven't been revealed yet, but all signs point to the league's debut sometime in the second half of the 2020 year.
It's unclear how many teams will be involved in the inaugural season of Call of Duty League, but it's easy to speculate. There are currently 16 professional Call of Duty teams participating in the Call of Duty Pro League. The first season of Overwatch League featured 12 teams and expanded to 20 for the second season. 12 or 20 teams for the Call of Duty League is a strong possibility, too. Of course, the sweet spot will be 28-32 teams to ensure a lasting league and cover a wider-range of locations. I believe the Overwatch League will continue to expand as well until it gets close to the 28-32 teams.
A leaked report from the site Dexerto expanded on further details about salaries, roster sizes, and expansion plans, but those must be taken with a grain of salt. The leak could prove to be true, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
There is still a lot of information to be revealed for the Call of Duty League, but the future is full of potential. Following the Overwatch League model is extremely important to both of the leagues as it will help establish a presence in local markets (a driving force in the success of sports leagues). Fans of Call of Duty and fans of esports in general should be excited going forward as the Call of Duty League is another stepping stone in expanding esports presence into the mainstream.