The 2020 Call of Duty League season will kick off with a three-day "Launch Weekend" Jan. 24-26, hosted by the Minnesota Rokkr at the Minneapolis Armory, Activision Blizzard Esports League announced Tuesday.
The event will feature all 12 professional Call of Duty League teams as well as fan and player experiences to celebrate the launch of the new city-based league, including the first Challengers Open where amateur players can compete as teams in an open bracket tournament format.
"We are thrilled with the continued growth of the Call of Duty esports footprint as an international, city-based league with 12 teams in four countries, all of which deliver epically entertaining competition to millions of fans around the world," said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.
"Building on our city-based model's success in esports first established by the Overwatch League, we are excited to unite the historic passion for the Call of Duty franchise with city-based fandom to create a league to rival the very best leagues in traditional sports in recognizing, celebrating and rewarding our players."
Competitors in the CoD Challengers Open will start play in November through online ladders and tournaments, with the best players qualifying for a coveted spot in the LAN event.
--Field Level Media