Call of Duty League and Dallas Empire Announce First LAN Event of 2021
Call of Duty League teams have been competing online since March 2020, but today we’re excited to share the first details of the League’s return to live, in-person competitions, otherwise known as LAN (local area network).
In collaboration with the local Dallas team, Dallas Empire, the Call of Duty League will return to LAN for this season’s Major IV, hosted at the Esports Stadium Arlington from June 17-20, 2021.
As part of this initial return to a live environment, events – with only teams and limited League staff in attendance – will follow strict COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety and comfort of all participating players and staff, including Rapid Response COVID-19 testing throughout the event.
Teams will be welcomed back and able to compete on stage once again, reintroducing the dynamics of in-person play and re-igniting season rivalries after a full year of remote play.
Fans will be able to watch this action live, exclusively on YouTube.
While viewership of the MLB, NBA, college basketball, NASCAR and others are down, the League is up nearly 10 percent in AMA (average minute audience) YoY, and up 15 percent in primetime AMA. It’s also up more than 80 percent in hours watched, in total, continuing a growth trajectory first seen during the closure of live events.
Structurally, the return to live events will feature all 12 teams competing in a double-elimination bracket, collecting CDL points for each win as teams compete for one of eight end-of-season playoff spots and one spot closer to the Championship
Let me know if I can connect you with a spokesperson to discuss what this return means for the League and what audiences should expect after a full year since its last live event. Happy to provide further details.
The action continues with Call of Duty League’s Major III Tournament, May 13-16!
