The Call of Duty League is in talks to bring matches back to YouTube exclusively, with a renewed three-year deal in the works, sources close to the situation have told Dexerto.
When the CDL was launched in 2019, it was announced that the competition would stream exclusively on YouTube, following in the footsteps of Activision Blizzard’s other franchised esports league, the Overwatch League.
The three-year deal ran its course and, for the 2023 Modern Warfare II season, the league switched back to Twitch, though no exclusivity deal was signed at the time.
Sources have told Dexerto that the Call of Duty League will be reuniting with YouTube in a renewed three-year partnership, with the platform switch planned to occur following this week’s Major 2 in Boston.
This would mean Majors 3, 4, 5, and the CDL Championship would all be viewable exclusively on YouTube, starting with Major 3 Qualifiers.
Since switching to Twitch, the CDL’s viewership figures have grown considerably in comparison to previous seasons, and that has only been bolstered by huge watch parties from top creators such as Seth ‘Scump’ Abner and Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto.
It’s unclear how exactly these watch parties would work if the league does indeed go YouTube-exclusive once again, as both stars would naturally prefer to stick with Twitch. Whether they could broadcast the YouTube livestream on Twitch is a question that will need answering.
This is news that might not be welcomed too kindly by the wider community, many of whom begged for a return to Twitch in recent years and were delighted when the switch occurred.
This follows Dexerto reports that the CDL is targeting Columbus, OH, and Las Vegas, NV for Major 4 and the Call of Duty Championship respectively. CDL GM Daniel Tsay has since suggested that Major 4 could be held at a venue without spectators or, alternatively, online.
Major 2 kicks off on February 2 in Boston, MA – and it might be the last CDL Major on Twitch for several years now.
It’s unclear at the time of writing whether this deal would also see the Overwatch League remain on YouTube, as it has in previous seasons.
Dexerto has reached out to the Call of Duty League for comment.
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