Activision Blizzard announced that the Call of Duty League will shift to an online-only competition, shedding the in-person events because of the coronavirus.
The fear of COVID-19 is taking its toll on esports events held in live venues, where there are risks of the virus spreading from person to person. Yesterday, Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch League also announced that it would cancel all events in March and April over the same concerns.
And earlier today, PUBG Mobile events were also shifted to online events with no live audiences.
Here’s the announcement:
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The health and safety of employees, fans, players, teams, and partners is paramount to Activision Blizzard Esports.
We are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 (coronavirus), city-level recommendations and mandates, and all guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After careful review and working in close collaboration with our teams, we are shifting all currently scheduled 2020 Call of Duty League live events to online-only competition, effective immediately. For details on previously ticketed events, please visit host team websites and follow their social channels.
The new online-only matches will be broadcast live to fans. Dates will be announced shortly, along with tune-in details.
Call of Duty League has seen firsthand the power of our live events in our inaugural season, and will return to city-based competition in front of live audiences as soon as it is safe and logistically possible.
In the interim, Call of Duty League is confident it will continue to deliver fans what they want: amazing competition between the best players, competing at the highest level, for the right to be considered the greatest team on earth.
