Censor claims Call of Duty League lost him $100K and demands answers
YouTube: SublinersNew York Subliners pro player Doug ‘Censor’ Martin has shed light on how the Call of Duty League has cost him $100,000 in a sponsorship deal, after also explaining that the League revoked permission to livestream the Seattle Challengers Cup.
Censor is a player who’s played at the highest level in competitive Call of Duty, as well as focusing on being a content creator. After playing at the top for the best part of a decade, he’s considered one of the veterans of the space.
Fast-forward to the first-ever franchised league and the 25-year-old now finds himself as a substitute for the New York Subliners. But despite an in-house roster shuffle, Doug is yet to make the starting lineup, regardless of his claims that he can still mix it with the very best.
MLGGiven his absence from pro action, Censor recently switched over to the amateur league to play in the Seattle Challengers Cup.
According to the Subliners’ sub, he had made arrangements to stream the tournament on his Twitch channel, only for these rights to be revoked at the last minute by league officials.
With this in mind, Censor spoke out about how he’s lost a $100,000 endorsement because of the league’s restrictions: “I have been limited on being able to compete or produce content because of restrictions.”
This is just ridiculous at this point. I've been very patient, cooperative, and respectful despite losing tons of cash, opportunites, etc. All I'm trying to do is produce content to grow our league but that is prohibited. Players union is a must.
— Doug Censor Martin (@Censor) May 23, 2020
Given the circumstances, Censor has called for a ‘Player’s Union’ to be formed, in a bid to fight for player rights within the league — a concept which has been adopted by other esports, such as the CSPPA for CS:GO players.
Censor made his stance clear in a video, where he stood firm against the current stipulation whereby players must exclusively represent the league’s sponsors.
Alongside detailing the issue he’s faced, he delved into how he was revoked from streaming the Challengers Cup, explaining that it was due to him not being on a “streamer’s contract.” He says he had no prior knowledge of such a contract existing.
— Doug Censor Martin (@Censor) May 23, 2020
Regardless of Censor’s calls for a Player’s Union, this is not an approach that Activision-Blizzard have taken with the Overwatch League — despite similar calls from pros in that scene.
Only time will tell whether league officials will decide to allow Censor to form a union that’s sole purpose will be to represent the players and put their interests first.