OpTic Texas CEO Hints at Return of YouTube Exclusive Arrangement for Call of Duty League

After considerable rumor in the community in recent months as matches were televised on both YouTube and Twitch, OpTic Texas CEO Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez may have hinted that the Call of Duty League’s YouTube exclusive arrangement is occurring. Due to an agreement between the website and Activision Blizzard across all their esports businesses, matches in the Call of Duty League’s first three years were exclusively televised on YouTube. However, the CDL could not reach an ideal agreement with either Twitch or YouTube for the 2022–2023 season of Modern Warfare II and ended up broadcasting on both toward the season’s conclusion.

The League reportedly planned to negotiate an exclusive agreement mid-season, but following widespread fan outrage, they decided against it and started again. A two-year agreement was subsequently announced in June, subject to the CDL owners’ meeting at CDL Champs in July. H3CZ may now have hinted at the deal’s implementation.

H3CZ addresses YouTube on CDL

On the OpTic podcast, he said, “I think the interest in Call of Duty just isn’t there, and next year would’ve been a different story, but since we’re going back to YouTube, it’s not going to be,” before Seth ‘Scump’ Abner interrupted with a “rumored!” Although he continued, “It hasn’t officially been released,” many viewers interpret this as meaning that H3CZ may have only hinted that it would be occurring.

Hector has often expressed unhappiness with returning to YouTube, as has Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, several professionals, and a sizable portion of the fans. However, nothing will change shortly. This is particularly important in light of the recent report that clubs in the Overwatch League will vote on whether or not to continue under a new contract, raising the possibility that the League might be abandoned entirely if the team owners pay the $6 termination fee. A YouTube arrangement could bring in enough money to satisfy certain clubs in the Activision Blizzard franchised esports leagues, but fans and some owners won’t be pleased.