FaZe-OpTic rivalry and Twitch watch parties fuel all-time Call of Duty League viewership at Major 3

The OpTic and FaZe juice is real.

OpTic fans cheering on their favorite Call of Duty team from the stands.
Photo via Call of Duty League

The Call of Duty League reached an all-time high in viewership during Championship Sunday at its Major Three tournament this weekend.

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To no one’s surprise, the peak of 335,170 viewers, according to stats site Esports Charts, came during yesterday’s matchup between OpTic Texas and Atlanta FaZe. The two biggest names and organizations in CoD faced off in the losers bracket final, with the Green Wall coming out on top 3-1.

What’s even more impressive about the new record is that the previous high mark came during the 2020 CDL Championship Finals between the Dallas Empire and FaZe.

The new viewership mark has a lot to do with the CDL implementing watch parties on Twitch, with streamers like OpTic’s own Scump, Methodz, and Karma, The Flank, the Botez sisters, and more contributing to overall viewership.

Related: Results for 2023 Call of Duty League Major 3

Throughout much of the weekend, Scump himself held higher viewership than the CoD channel on Twitch. The King has been a natural as a host, reacting to CDL matches each weekend while chopping it up with chat and whoever else joins him.

Recent reports suggested that the CDL may return to YouTube, leaving many to scratch their heads considering the overall success the league has seen since making its way back to Twitch at the beginning of this season.

The viewership was likely also carried by OpTic’s incredible run through the elimination bracket. Texas were swept 3-0 by the Boston Breach in their first match of Major Three but made it all the way to the grand finals, where their dream run came to an end at the hands of the Toronto Ultra.

Screengrab via Esports Charts

The CDL will go on a break for two weeks and return with online action for Major Four on March 31.

Author
Image of Scott Duwe
Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.