Call of Duty community enraged over “insane” ticket prices for CDL events

The first year of a brand new franchise-based league kicks off in 2020 and Call of Duty fans could not be more upset over the current ticket prices for the first batch of major events.

With the schedule for the first split of the regular-season having just been unveiled on November 16, the Call of Duty community now knows where the first 62 matches will be taking place. 

From Paris to Seattle, tickets have already been released for a few homestand events and the initial price points have been turning fans away in droves. 

Starting with the launch event in Minnesota on January 24-26, general admission tickets cost $75 for a reserved seat on a single day. Special VIP passes cap out at $550 but includes tickets to each day of competition throughout the year, as well as access to a wide array of exclusive add-on perks, such as team merchandise and venue tours. Additionally, standing passes can come in as cheap $25 but won’t secure you a specific seat.

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Meanwhile, on the cheaper side of things, a two-day pass for the Atlanta homestead can come in as low as $50 in total. Comparatively, a weekend at the Seattle event will cost $80 while a VIP weekend-pass will run you $200.

Marking the first iteration of the home and away style structure for Call of Duty events, it appears this transition has frustrated a number of fans, who preferred the previous structure of showcasing a host of teams in one location.

To the displeasure of the community, the steep prices have sparked debates online with certain fans claiming that if the prices don’t drop the initial events will see poor turnouts.

“All this to watch five league matches and an [amateur] tournament,” Reddit user ‘Dizzycod9’ said in response to Seattle’s price announcement. “The $200 tickets include meet and greets that used to be free and also early door access to the area and access to new merch. It’s gonna be dead inside the building.”

Reddit user ‘the_Midg’ added their own thoughts, dubbing the pricing “actually insane.”

“Once you add in accommodation and sh*t it’s not worth it. I’ll just watch on stream,” they said.

Also entering the first year of a home and away game structure, ticket prices for 2020 Overwatch League events were similarly unveiled in August.

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On the cheaper side, the Los Angeles Gladiators, Florida Mayhem, Dallas Fuel, and Atlanta Reign are all charging under $70 for general admission tickets. Additionally, VIP passes range from $240 to $354 for an entire weekend of festivities. 

These prices fall in line with initial Call of Duty event costs, even exceeding in terms of VIP access. Local fans aren’t happy, however, especially considering the prices cover just two best of five matches during a single day.

Numerous professional players have already voiced their displeasure with the initial schedule, complaining about the excessive travel for an extremely brief period of competition.

OpTic Gaming’s GM Eric ‘Muddawg’ Sanders expressed, the LA-based squad will “have to fly to Paris to play a singular regular season match vs Atlanta.”

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With certain series potentially ending in swift 3-0’s, elite talent may barely even be on stage for an hour at these large-scale events. 

There’s no telling whether ticket prices will drop as each major event draws near.

However, with both fans and pro players complaining early on, it’s safe to say that the initial structure has left a bad taste.

You can view the full rundown on 2020 matchups with our guide to the first Call of Duty League split.