Call of Duty League to Press on with LAN Events despite COVID-19

Activision is determined to carry on with Call of Duty League under improved health protocols, with the Champions Weekend taking place on August 19.

PCR or Antigen Testing Now Required to Attend CDL LAN Events 

The Call of Duty League (CDL) will proceed with upcoming events as planned. CoD Champs 2021 will not suffer any changes in scheduling, even though Activision Blizzard is presently besieged on multiple fronts. The latest saga was caused by the alleged sexual harassment that happened at work, and that led to a series of lawsuits being lodged against the company. All are still ongoing.

Regardless, the 2021 CDL Championship Weekend remains fixed for August 19 through August 22, with the event held at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. While State Farm, T-Mobile and Coca-Cola have all opted out of their partnership deals with the Overwatch League, the CDL has been mostly unscathed, because it is owned by Activision, one of the two big entities in the company.  However, T-Mobile has suspended its signage from any CDL events for the time being.

The event will feature a $2.5-million prize pool, which means that the CDL has every reason to see the competition through. However, there will be some changes that are designed to boost health and safety protocols, including a negative PCR or antigen test done 72 hours prior to attending the event. 

All attendees will have to wear masks, although the CDL would not turn away unvaccinated people, for example. The Championship Weekend is coming hot on the tail of the CDL Stage Five Major, which was the first major event to allow fans back to the arenas after a one-year hiatus. 

Live Audiences Allowed Back at CDL 

However, the event saw infections among player rosters, with several players testing positive for COVID-19 and alerting the organizers to insufficient health and safety protocols. Now, though, Activision feels confident it can continue to carry on with live events without endangering the health of participants, attendees, and staff.

Participants will feature eight of the best teams in competitive Call of Duty who will be vying for the lion’s share of the prize pool, which is $1.2 million. More LAN events seem to be returning, although it will all depend on whether the Call of Duty League can continue to keep infection rates under control. 

The event kicks off on Thursday, August 19 at 2 pm CT with the first series between Dallas Empire and Minnesota RØKKR, the Stage Five Major winner.