The Call of Duty League (CDL) has officially canceled physical tournaments for the rest of the year. In a tweet sent on Thursday, the CDL explains that the tournaments will be played online. This is to ensure the safety of the players, staff, and fans. Homestead tournaments that had been scheduled for the remainder of the year will no longer take place.
Novel coronavirus COVID-19 has affected esports titles all over the world, with the Overwatch League canceling home tournaments and CSGO‘s IEM Katowice being played without fans in the stands. Now the Call of Duty League will go on with all of the players competing over the internet. And it’s of course not just the esports scene that’s being affected by this pandemic. Most traditional sporting events have been canceled or suspended, and beloved gaming convention E3 will also not be going on this year.
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) March 12, 2020
CDL pros respond
Those playing in the Call of Duty League took to Twitter to express their opinions on the cancellation of matches. Samuel “Octane” Larew tried to make the best of the situation by tweeting out, “Herman Miller & Nighthawk EXPEDITED shipping.” Seth “Scump” Abner meanwhile had only one thing to say: “2020 is canceled.”
Organizations have also been reaching out to fans regarding refunds of tickets. Seattle Surge posted to their social media confirming that their April homestead would be canceled. They also assured fans that tickets would be refunded immediately. If you purchased a ticket, the CDL recommends following the team on social media to get more information on refunds.
The general consensus here is that this decision was the correct one. It’s unclear how this will affect the league going forward, but games sure will feel a lot different with the players playing online.
To keep up with further Call of Duty League coverage, make sure to stay tuned to Daily Esports.
Editorial Disclaimer: The Seattle Surge is owned and operated in part by Enthusiast Gaming, the parent company of Daily Esports.
