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Call of Duty League makes major changes to team agreements

Call of Duty League main stage with players sat in front of monitors
Credit: Activision
By Jon NicholsonFPS Editor

Call of Duty League main stage with players sat in front of monitors
Credit: Activision
  • Call of Duty League teams are getting their money back
  • Teams will earn more revenue
  • Better help for teams to host events

The Call of Duty League (CDL) has announced major changes to its team agreement.

The competitive Modern Warfare 3 season is in full swing and after Call of Duty icons Scump and H3CZ filed a lawsuit against the CDL, it appears those in charge have taken notice.

To create a more sustainable model and increase the opportunities for the 12 teams involved to generate more income, the CDL has outlined four major changes to the team agreement that will result in fewer event cancellations and more chances for teams to invest back into the ecosystem.

On April 16, 2024, CDL general manager Daniel Tsay revealed the four changes in a blog post:

  1. No more entry fees. When the CDL formed at the end of 2019, teams were required to invest $25 million to secure their place in the top tier of competition. Now, all entry fees have been eliminated and will be returned to each team owner in full in addition to some of the cash being pumped back into the league.
  2. Better team revenues. More of the money generated from the sales of CDL skins in the Call of Duty store will go into the pockets of teams, ensuring their own financial success when the results may not go their way. This ensures teams won't drop out if the money pot runs dry.
  3. Higher subsidies. The CDL will offer teams an increased subsidy if they're interested in hosting an event in their cities which is great news. 2024's Major 4 was meant to take place in North Carolina before the Carolina Royal Ravens pulled the plug.
  4. Guaranteed revenue. The team agreement will feature a two-year minimum guarantee of revenue, enabling the teams to invest in the CDL without the worry of the cash running out.

The removal of entry fees is a huge positive for the CDL. Not only does it give the 12 team owners already taking part in the league a huge cash injection, it also opens up the door for potential expansion if there's no fee to pay. Will we finally see Call of Duty's top tier of competition open up to 16 teams? Only time will tell.