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LIVE: Call of Duty League off-season rostermania hub: all roster changes

Published: 31/Dec/2020 16:16 Updated: 26/Jan/2021 20:28

by Jacob Hale
Call of Duty League rostermania Clayster, Scump, Octane, Arcitys
Activision

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Black Ops Cold War Call of Duty League Modern Warfare Rostermania

With the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League out of the way, and some major changes coming for the league’s second season in 2021, we take a look at all the roster moves that are occurring across the league.

It’s no secret that there was a pretty big disparity between the best and worst teams in the CDL’s opening season. Teams like Dallas Empire and Atlanta FaZe were constantly seeing success, while others, such as Seattle Surge and Los Angeles Guerrillas, will need to make big changes going forward.

Significantly, CDL is moving back to the 4v4 format, guaranteeing at least one change from each team at a minimum. This means a huge roster shuffle involving every team is inbound. Here’s everything you need to know about the CDL 2020 offseason and free agency window, as well as every major team change that occurs during Rostermania.

Contents

CDL 2021 team rosters

Going into the CDL 2021 season, this is how each team’s starting roster currently looks. It’s worth noting that some teams still have five players on their starting roster, but these numbers will reduce with the change to 4v4.

Players in bold are confirmed to be part of that team’s 2021 roster

Team Starters
 Substitute(s) Coach(es)
Dallas Empire Crimsix Shotzzy Huke iLLeY FeLo Rambo
Atlanta FaZe Simp aBeZy Cellium Arcitys Sibilants Crowder, RJ, Easy Mac
OpTic Chicago Scump FormaL Envoy Dashy General Sender
Florida Mutineers Skyz Neptune Owakening Slacked Havok Atura
New York Subliners Mack Clayster Asim Diamondcon HyDra Revan
London Royal Ravens Seany Alexx Dylan Zer0 Dominate, Afro ShAnE
Toronto Ultra Bance Methodz Cammy CleanX Insight MarkyB
Minnesota RØKKR Priestahh Attach Accuracy MajorManiak – Saintt
Los Angeles Thieves Slasher Kenny TJHaly Temp Drazah JKap
Paris Legion Skrapz Classic Aqua Fire – Theory
Seattle Surge Octane Gunless Loony Prestinni – Nubzy
Los Angeles Guerrillas Vivid Assault SiLLY Apathy MentaL, Chino Bevils, Ricky, Doug Liebe

Confirmed roster changes

Dallas Empire Clayster and Illey
Call of Duty League
Rostermania claimed it’s first major victim after Clayster left the Dallas Empire squad — mere days after their world championship win.

Barely 48 hours after the conclusion of the CDL 2020 season, players started sharing their new status as free agents. Here’s everything that’s been officially announced so far.

F/A = Free Agent. F/A (r) = Restricted Free Agent

January 26

  • Spart: F/A → New York Subliners Academy

January 22

  • Asim: F/A → New York Subliners
  • Afro: F/A → London Royal Ravens (sub)

January 21

  • Diamondcon: Subliners Academy → New York Subliners

January 19

January 10

  • Neptune: F/A → Florida Mutineers (sub)

December 31

  • Skrapz: F/A → Paris Legion
  • Classic: F/A → Paris Legion
  • Fire: F/A → Paris Legion
  • Aqua: F/A → Paris Legion

December 11

  • Temp: F/A → LA Thieves

December 7

November 11

November 6

  • OpTic Gaming LA rebranded as LA Thieves
    • Kuavo: OpTic Gaming LA → LA Thieves
    • SlasheR: OpTic Gaming LA → LA Thieves
    • TJHaLy: OpTic Gaming LA → LA Thieves
    • Drazah: OpTic Gaming LA → LA Thieves (sub)
    • Muddawg: OpTic Gaming LA → LA Thieves (general manager)
  • Sibilants: Atlanta FaZe Academy → Atlanta FaZe (sub)

October 29

  • Alexx: F/A → London Royal Ravens
  • Zer0: F/A → London Royal Ravens (Re-signed)
  • Dylan: F/A → London Royal Ravens (Re-signed)

October 22

  • JurNii: Atlanta FaZe (sub) → F/A

October 17

  • Insight: Singularity → Toronto Ultra (sub)

October 16

  • Tisch: Dallas Empire (sub) → F/A

October 13

October 9

  • Hydra: F/A → New York Subliners

October 7

  • GRVTY: Atlanta FaZe (sub) → F/A

October 2

September 23

September 18

September 15

September 14

September 9

  • Frosty: Florida Mutineers → F/A
  • Maux: Florida Mutineers → F/A

September 8

  • Accuracy: New York Subliners → F/A
  • Censor: New York Subliners → F/A
  • Happy: New York Subliners → F/A
  • Tommey Dallas Empire → F/A
  • Dashy: LA OpTic → F/A
  • Goonjar: LA OpTic → F/A
  • Chino: LA OpTic → F/A
  • Hollow: LA OpTic → F/A
  • Arcitys: Chicago Huntsmen → F/A
  • Prestinni: Chicago Huntsmen → F/A
  • Skrapz: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • Zer0: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • Dylan: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • Rated: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • wuskin: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • Nastie: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • MadCat: London Royal Ravens → F/A
  • Denz: Paris Legion → F/A
  • Louqa: Paris Legion → F/A
  • Shockz: Paris Legion → F/A
  • Zed: Paris Legion → F/A
  • Breszy: Paris Legion → F/A
  • Phantoms: Paris Legion → F/A
  • 2Pac_ThuGLorD: Chicago Huntsmen (Analyst) → F/A

September 7

  • Alexx: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • Asim: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • Exceed: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • Assault: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • SiLLY: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • GodRx: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • TTinyy: Minnesota ROKKR → F/A
  • KiSMET: Paris Legion → F/A

September 6

  • Blazt: Los Angeles Guerrillas → F/A
  • Decemate: Los Angeles Guerrillas → F/A
  • Spart: Los Angeles Guerrillas → F/A
  • Aqua: Los Angeles Guerrillas → F/A
  • Saints: Los Angeles Guerrillas → F/A
  • Gunless: Chicago Huntsmen → F/A

September 4

  • Brack: Toronto Ultra → F/A
  • Classic: Toronto Ultra → F/A
  • Loony: Toronto Ultra → F/A (r)
  • Lucky: Toronto Ultra → F/A (r)
  • Mayhem: Toronto Ultra → F/A (r)
  • MettalZ: Toronto Ultra → F/A
  • Wuskin: London Royal Ravens → F/A (r)
  • Temp: New York Subliners → F/A (r)
  • Apathy: Seattle Surge → F/A
  • Pandur: Seattle Surge → F/A (r)
  • Proto: Seattle Surge → F/A (r)
  • Enable: Seattle Surge → F/A
  • Slacked: Seattle Surge → F/A
  • TeddyRecKs: Seattle Surge → F/A (r)
  • Joshh (coach): Paris Legion → F/A

September 2

September 1

  • Clayster: Dallas Empire → F/A (r)
  • Jurd: London Royal Ravens → F/A

Changes by team

Here are all the CDL changes so far, broken down by each team’s offseason transactions:

Atlanta FaZe

  • Arrived: Arcitys, Sibilants (from FaZe Academy team)
  • Departed: Priestahh, MajorManiak, GRVTY, JurNii

Dallas Empire

  • Arrived: FeLo (sub)
  • Departed: Clayster, Tommey, Tisch

Florida Mutineers

  • Arrived: Slacked, Neptune
  • Departed: Maux, Frosty, Fero

London Royal Ravens

  • Arrived: Alexx, Dominate, Afro
  • Departed: Skrapz, Wuskin, Rated, Nastiee, MadCat

Los Angeles Guerrillas

  • Arrived: Apathy, SiLLY, Assault, MentaL, Chino
  • Departed: ACHES, Saints, Lacefield, Blazt, Decemate, Spart, AquA

Los Angeles Thieves (formerly OpTic Gaming LA)

  • Arrived: SlasheR, TJHaLy, Kenny, Temp, Drazah
  • Departed: Dashy, Hollow, Chino, Goonjar, JKap

Minnesota ROKKR

  • Arrived: Attach, MajorManiak, Accuracy, Priestahh
  • Departed: Asim, Exceed, TTinyy, Alexx, Assault, GodRx, SiLLY

New York Subliners

  • Arrived: Clayster, HyDra, Asim, DiamondCon
  • Departed: Attach, Accuracy, ZooMaa

OpTic Chicago (formerly Chicago Huntsmen)

  • Arrived: Dashy
  • Departed: Arcitys, Prestinni, Gunless

Paris Legion

  • Arrived: Skrapz, Aqua, Classic, Fire
  • Departed: Breszy, Denz, Louqa, Phantomz, Shockz, Zed, KiSMET

Seattle Surge

  • Arrived: Gunless, Prestinni, Loony
  • Departed: Apathy, Enable, Slacked, Proto, Pandur, Karma

Toronto Ultra

  • Arrived: Insight
  • Departed: Brack, Classic, Loony, Lucky, Mayhem, MettalZ

New 4v4 format

Evil Geniuses win CoD Champs: Aches, Apathy, Silly, Assault
Eric Ananmalay / ESPAT Media
The last time Call of Duty was played 4v4 was during the 2018 season, prior to franchising.

For the first time in two years, Call of Duty esports will be returning to a 4v4 format, essentially meaning that one player from each team has already been or will be dropped.

This could mean a major shake-up of some of our favorite rosters, with underperforming players having to start shopping around for options to stay in the Call of Duty League.

While many fans and players have preferred 4v4 in the past, the loss of roster spots has made some players start to worry about their own prospects going forward, and this does mean we’re guaranteed to see some big names swapping jerseys by the time the Black Ops Cold War season kicks off.

Free Agency and transfer window

Priestahh Atlanta FaZe
Call of Duty League
Every player in the CDL will be looking to re-negotiate their contract with their current team, or move on elsewhere.

The CDL’s free agency window officially opened on September 13, which is when teams began to signing players to new contracts and even make announcements on who they’re acquiring for the forthcoming season.

According to the CDL’s official roster construction rules, at 11.59 PM PT on September 13, any player whose contract hasn’t been extended with their current team officially becomes a free agent, but teams can officially file for contract extensions by September 6 at 11.59 PM PT.

As the rules state, no agreement can be made between a player and a team they did not represent in CDL 2020 prior to 12:00 AM PT on September 14, though discussions may obviously take place in the lead-up to that date.

Be sure to check back on this page throughout the off-season to keep up to date with every roster change that occurs ahead of the 2021 CDL season.

Call of Duty

Parasite reportedly set to join London Royal Ravens for CDL 2021 season

Published: 27/Jan/2021 19:59

by Theo Salaun
parasite london royal ravens
Midnight Esports / Twitter, @RoyalRavens

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London Royal Ravens

Recent reports suggest that World Champion Christopher ‘Parasite’ Duarte is set to join the Call of Duty League’s London Royal Ravens, as the CDL team struggles to overcome 2021 visa issues.

Sources have told Dot Esports’ Corey Davis that veteran CoD pro colloquially known as “Haggy” could soon be making his highly anticipated debut in the CDL. A professional competitor since 2011, Parasite couldn’t crack a CDL roster in 2020’s Modern Warfare seaon and was relegated to competing for various Challengers teams during the season.

Now, as the Royal Ravens deal with visa issues surrounding Trei ‘Zer0’ Morris and the recently signed Marcus ‘Afro’ Reid, the team has elected to bring on a player already located in North America to avoid ping issues. 

Should the deal become official, this would put Parasite directly into a starting lineup for the foreseeable future depending on visa developments.

Zer0 London Royal Ravens CDL
MLG
London’s Zer0 is stuck on poor ping while visa issues prevent him from joining the team in the U.S.

According to reports, Royal Ravens have elected to sign Parasite after previous negotiations with WestR’s Paul ‘PaulEhx’ Avila fell through. With the team unable to sign the Challengers standout or get the aforementioned Zer0 and Afro into the United States, they’re apparently turning to the formerly scouted Parasite.

A 2013 world champion, Parasite nearly cracked London’s 2020 roster until the team opted to sign Rhys ‘Rated’ Price instead — who was subsequently benched and now plays Warzone for 100 Thieves.

A year later, visas allow Parasite his chance to assume a starting role in the league. Contract details remain nebulous, but Davis reports that the team has begun scrimming immediately with the new signee. 

London Royal Ravens hosting their home series event
Call of Duty League
The London Royal Ravens are looking to improve upon their above-average 2020 season.

This means that the team has about two weeks to practice, allowing a chance to improve upon a difficult 2-3 loss to the Paris Legion during the CDL Kickoff Classic. London’s first official match will be on February 14, when the team faces the Seattle Surge during the Atlanta FaZe Home Series.

It’s unclear why PaulEhx declined the Royal Ravens offer, but some have speculated it’s because they were only putting forward a short-term contract. If so, then Parasite’s deal may be similarly temporary. Nonetheless, if the deal is finalized, London’s opening lineup should be set.

London Royal Ravens 2021 CDL Lineup (reported)

  • Sean ‘Seany’ O’Connor (Starter)
  • Alex ‘Alexx’ Carpenter (Starter)
  • Thomas ‘Dylan’ Henderson (Starter)
  • Christopher ‘Parasite’ Duarte (Starter)
  • Trei ‘Zer0’ Morris (Substitute)
  • Marcus ‘Afro’ Reid (Substitute)

You can catch up on all of this offseason’s player signings and team changes with our CDL 2021 RosterMania hub.