Call Of Duty League 2020: Everything You Need To Know

Upon the conclusion of CWL Champs 2019, we now know what to expect for next season.

The dust has settled on another spectacular CWL season with eUnited being crowned World Champions. This marked the end of the CWL chapter of COD esports. Moving forward, it’s well known that Call of Duty esports is transitioning into a franchised format much like the Overwatch League for next year. 

In an official Call of Duty esports Reddit post yesterday, they detailed all the Call of Duty league 2020 information you could need. With Activision-Blizzard also announcing two more cities for the league yesterday, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare's release getting closer and closer, it’s an exciting time to be a COD esports fan.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Call of Duty League 2020:

Pro Team Construction

Activision

Going into the 2020 CDL season, this is the first year we’re going to have an "official" feel on how Call of Duty esports is run. Noted in the Reddit post, Activision-Blizzard wants too "foster competitive balance within the league," as well as "to provide players with the opportunity to compete regularly during the season and to promote player development at all levels of competitive Call of Duty".

Some key notes that the Reddit post detailed included: 

• Matches will be 5V5, the same as Black Ops 4.
• They will play the league on console.
• Rosters comprise a minimum of seven players with a maximum of 10 players on each roster.
• Mid-series substitutions may be included in the official rule-set.

These roster construction notes are appealing to fans. As with the possible mid-series substitutions, teams will need to be precise in constructing their roster. We may see teams signing some of the best snipers in Modern Warfare just to get that one extra kill during a crucial Search and Destroy match. 

Signing Windows

Along with the Pro Team roster rules, we also got some notes on when teams will be able to sign players along with details on contracts. Call of Duty esports has a somewhat reputation of shady organizations not paying their players from time to time. Although a lot of these teams are amateur ones, it’s  a good sign that there will be stability for players next year. 

Keynotes about contracts and player signings are: 

• An Open Signing Window for all pro players begins September 3, 2019. This means that any player may negotiate and sign a new contract with any team in the league at this time. For the avoidance of doubt, players who are currently under contract with an existing organization remain subject to the terms of that contract while they negotiate new league contracts.
• Existing Call of Duty World League organizations who are transitioning into the new league as a city-based team will have the ability to sign players who are currently on their 2019 CWL rosters to new contracts 8 days earlier than any other organization beginning August 26, 2019.
• All players will be required to sign a new form contract in order to be eligible to compete in the upcoming league.
• Contract negotiation is between a player and teams. The League Office will not advise players or teams in contract negotiations.
• All pro players in the league will receive a minimum base salary of $50,000 USD per year, health care benefits, and retirement benefits. Teams are required to distribute at least 50% of their prize pool earnings to players directly.
• All pro player contracts will be guaranteed contracts; thus, any team that drops a player from their roster without cause is required to pay out that player’s remaining salary.

With the first signing window less than two weeks away and only nine teams announced for next season, it’s uncertainhow many more teams are going to be announced in this short window of time. Other than that, the guaranteed $50,000 is an amazing sign for Call of Duty players. They no longer have to worry about getting their payments, so it’s an amazing sign to see. 

Amateur Scene

Activision

A big concern heading into the CDL 2020 season was the rumored concept of there being no more Open Events for Call of Duty players. This was a big concern to aspiring amateur players because this was their chance to make a name for themselves in front of a crowd and potentially be picked up by a Pro Team. 

To many players’ delight, Activision-Blizzard has announced that they will be implementing a "Path To Pro" system for the upcoming season.

"We recognize the importance of a thriving Path to Pro competitive scene in Call of Duty esports, which has continued to garner strong participation and prizing each year,” says the Reddit post. “Going forward, we will support and administer extensive amateur competitions, both online and via open bracket tournaments in cities around the world, with dedicated prize pools. More details about the path to pro system and upcoming open bracket tournament events will be shared in the coming months." 

So, there will be without a doubt some open tournaments around the world. They also stated that Pro Teams may have up to two players on their roster who can compete in these open events, which is a bright spot for amateur players. 

The future of Call of Duty esports is moving on the right path it seems. It’s up to Activision-Blizzard to lead it into the promised land.

What do you think of the upcoming CDL for next year?

Let us know in the comments below!

This article was written by Nick Farrell, an experienced esports writer who aims to provide insightful yet proactive news daily.