The Call of Duty League released an official statement on Tuesday, July 6 regarding the possibility of fans being in attendance for the Stage 5 Major; for the first time in over 15 months, the CDL will be back in front of live audiences.
While the qualifiers for Stage 5 remain online, the Major is a different story. The Stage 4 Major was the first event since March 2020 to take place on LAN, but to ensure maximum safety for those in attendance, the venue did not allow fans inside. That’s changing for the Stage 5 Major.
CDL Stage 5 Major to admit fans
Taking place from July 29 to August 1, the Stage 5 Major is the penultimate event before CDL Champs, hosted at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The end-of-season tournament will only feature the top eight teams in the standings, so Stage 5 is the last chance for some teams to make it into the event. This sets the stage for a tense qualifying round and epic Major, made even more exciting by the presence of in-person fans.
Major V + Fans 😉
Tickets on sale now 🎫 https://t.co/7WKCfMwIt2
Show us your excitement in 3 words ⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WAvOP3HdY7
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) July 6, 2021
The Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas provided a terrific viewing experience and a decent atmosphere despite no fans being in the building for the Stage 4 Major. This should only be magnified when fans fill up the floor for the Stage 5 Major come July 29.
Along with the fans, it’s likely that the casters will also be allowed to return. Aside from host Jess Brohard, the casters and other hosts were stationed at their homes for the Stage 4 Major. After the Stage 5 qualifying round concludes, though, the casters will presumably not have to work from home any longer.
CDL Stage 5 begins this Thursday, July 8 with the New York Subliners Home Series. A new event will follow that series every week until July 29 when the Stage 5 Major kicks off from Texas.
