As just confirmed via Activision/Blizzard, the company has started the process for a professional, city-based Call of Duty esports league and has already sold 5 franchises for Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Paris and Toronto. In every case, they are partnering with existing Overwatch League team owners who have at least some first-hand experience of what the company is trying to do, which is nothing short of a global, city-based Call of Duty league (insert villainous laughter here).
Below, you can find the names of ownership groups, if this is your kind of thing. I'm guessing for most of us it isn't, but for those of you who are super pumped on this news, stop saying I never do anything for you. I do stuff for you all the time.
The first five teams are:
- Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Esports Ventures, a joint venture owned by Cox Enterprises and Province, Inc. dedicated to bringing esports entertainment to the city of Atlanta
- Dallas, TX - Envy Gaming Inc., a staple in esports since 2007 with teams competing this year in the Call of Duty World League (Envy) and Overwatch League (Dallas Fuel)
- New York, NY - Sterling.VC, an early stage sports and media company backed by Sterling Equities – a family-run group of companies owned by the Wilpon and Katz families with several business operations including the New York Mets
- Paris, France – c0ntact Gaming, LLC., is the parent company of both the Overwatch League team, Paris Eternal, and the Paris Call of Duty esports team
- Toronto, Canada - OverActive Media, an integrated comp
ESGT