Win.gg
News
Activision Blizzard talking with OWL, CDL teams about financial relief Activision Blizzard talking with OWL, CDL teams about financial relief
According to a report by
The Esports Observer, Activision Blizzard is in talks with franchise owners of the Call of Duty League and Overwatch League about financial support due to the economic impact of the ongoing global health situation.
Though both leagues are active and teams are still able to bring in revenue through merchandise sales and sponsorships, teams are expressing concern over the loss in revenue stemming from the lack of in-person events. This has seen Activision Blizzard enter into talks with franchise owners on how they can alleviate some of the financial pressure they face. Among the talking points is delaying franchise payment fees, a major drain of capital for all the owners in the league.
Both titles were set to have a big year in 2020. The leagues were set to implement their homestand model, where teams would travel to different parts of the world in order to play in front of a live crowd hosted by the local franchise for every match.
In March, both leagues cancelled all homestands and moved to an online-only format. This resulted in a scramble for a few weeks as the league adjusted their scheduling and practice regimens, but all parties found a way to make things work and the league has been hosting matches regularly for weeks.
Read More:
The change to the business model made 2020 a crucial year to the success of CDL and OWL. While the esports business is still steadily growing, this year has proven difficult for franchise owners who have to pony up handsome fees in order to continue competing.
While the owners of the league teams are not experiencing a great time during this financial crunch, Activision Blizzard is doing well according to its stock prices. In the last six months, Activision Blizzard stock has gone from $61.24 to almost $80.
Lockdowns and unemployment have seen player counts spike and video game sales rise steadily.
Even though the leagues are still running games, viewership has been a constant topic of discussion. Both leagues premiered this year on YouTube Gaming, a switch from Amazon-owned Twitch. Overwatch League’s viewership has been significantly lower than in years past, leading some to question the long-term viability of the league.
Both leagues are in their infancy as far as business is concerned and they are far from alone in terms of being adversely impacted by the mass cancellation of public gatherings. OWL has its
Grand Finals
coming up in September, and CDL will have its Championship Weekend on August 29-30.
Read Also
Twitch
Lacy Turns Off Twitch Ads — Here’s What the Streamer Has To Say
Khizar Mundia
Nick “Lacy” Fosco announced in a recent Twitch stream that he wants his viewers to enjoy his content and is turning off ads from all his future broadcasts. Lacy was last in the limelight when he announced that he was leaving CORE, the streamer organization that was primarily comprising the ex-FaZe boys. He then hosted a gaming marathon with Marlon “Mar3lg” Lundgren Garcia in September, and now Lacy is going ...
Twitch
Dan Clancy Reveals Twitch Uses AI To Link Streamers With Brands
Khizar Mundia
Ad revenue is a major contributor to a streamer’s overall earnings, and Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has explained how the platform is using AI to match brands to creators. Advertising is a major part of Twitch’s business, but the platform also needs to ensure creators meet brands’ suitability criteria. Clancy discussed how Twitch uses AI to identify suitable creators and flag those who don’t match a brand’s requirements during a ...
Twitch
Will Kai Cenat Grow His Twitch Subscribers in the Remainder of 2026?
Khizar Mundia
Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is one of the most popular personalities on the platform, with his number of followers climbing with every new event that he announces. However, his subscriber numbers have been less straightforward. The American went on an unexpected break after shattering Twitch subscriber records with his Mafiathon 3, but eventually returned with Streamer University 2026. The creator did become the most-subscribed Twitch streamer after his return, but ...
Dota 2
Yandex to repeat?: BLAST SLAM VIII preview, predictions, and more
Michael Hassall
If you can believe it, we’re already on the eighth edition of BLAST SLAM, as BLAST SLAM VIII kicks off tomorrow (Sep. 29) pitting 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams against each other in what promises to be the first big challenge of this young season. Let’s face it: At PGL Wallachia, we were missing a lot of the heavy hitters. No TI15 champs, no PARIVISION, not BetBoom, ...
News
New York Sues Polymarket Over Gambling Laws As Prediction Market Hits Back
Michael Hassall
The New York Attorney General, the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the State of New York has filed legal proceedings against prediction market giant Polymarket alleging it is an unlicensed gambling company. First reported by Reuters earlier today (Monday, Sep. 28), Polymarket immediately launched a countersuit challenging the lawsuit’s claim that they constitute a gambling company, and kicking off a legal battle that could have huge implications for ...
Twitch
iShowSpeed Answers Fan Questions: Opens Up About Mental Health and One Piece
Khizar Mundia
Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. recently did an extensive Q&A where he answered several fan questions, talking about things such as mental health and loneliness despite being massively popular, while he also debunked being a One Piece “larper”. iShowSpeed is arguably the biggest IRL streamer in the world right now, with 2026 being a major year for the creator. Whether it was livestreaming the 2026 FIFA World Cup or being listed ...
Dota 2
Unstoppable Yandex crush NAVI in one-sided PGL Wallachia finals
Michael Hassall
Team Yandex has swept the grand finals of the PGL Wallachia Season 9 Dota 2 tournament, defeating Natus Vincere (NAVI) in a 3-0 drubbing this past weekend (Sep. 27). As predicted, the revitalized Yandex, hot off the signing of former Team Falcons star Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf, crushed their youthful opponents in a three-game sweep in the best-of-five finals. Here’s how it happened: After upsetting the star-studded LGD Gaming roster (albeit ...
