The qualification for the Call of Duty League 2024: Stage 1 Major has concluded. Featuring a new expanded format for the group stage and the return of broadcasts on YouTube, including co-casting by Scump and ZooMaa. While this helped slow down the audience attrition for the league, it did not halt it completely.
Scump and ZooMaa covered the qualifiers on YouTube and also conducted a multi-stream on Twitch, where they didn’t showcase gameplay but hosted a “radio” broadcast. It’s essential to note that the statistics of their Twitch channels are not considered in the overall qualification statistics.
The strongest team in the qualifiers was Atlanta FaZe, winning all seven matches. Los Angeles Thieves, Boston Breach, Carolina Royal Ravens, and Las Vegas Legion occupied the last four positions in the overall standings, meaning they will start the Major from the lower bracket of the playoffs.
CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE 2024: STAGE 1 MAJOR QUALIFIERS VIEWERSHIP
The Call of Duty League 2024: Stage 1 Major Qualifiers generated over 5.2 million Hours Watched. Marking a 15% increase compared to the most-watched qualifiers in 2023. The growth is attributed to the increased airtime, with teams now playing seven games each in the new season, compared to four in the previous qualifiers.
OpTic Gaming emerged as the most popular team in the qualifiers for the first Major, leading in qualifications last year as well. However, competitors are closing the gap. For detailed team statistics, you can purchase the Esports Charts PRO subscription.
Compared to the qualifiers for the first Major in 2023, the average viewership for CDL Stage 1 Major Qualifiers dropped by 25%, and the peak viewership decreased by 8.5%. The transition from Twitch to YouTube impacted the league’s viewership, but the broadcasts from Scump and ZooMaa on YouTube helped compensate for the audience outflow. Additionally, it’s crucial to highlight that the CDL 2024: Stage 1 Major Qualifiers matches were covered on only 7 different channels, a significant decrease from last year’s 50-70 channels.
CDL Stage 1 Major Qualifiers comparison with other qualifications in 2023
The official CoD League channel on YouTube was the most popular for broadcasts, gathering nearly as many peak viewers as the combined streams of Scump and ZooMaa. It’s noteworthy that the league’s official channels and co-streamers attracted a significantly larger audience when streaming on Twitch.
The transition of community casters from Twitch to YouTube is an interesting move for the league’s broadcast development. However, not all viewers are willing to leave their favorite platform, even when following their preferred streamers. Tens of thousands of viewers continue to watch (or rather listen to) Scump and ZooMaa streams on Twitch, despite not broadcasting game feeds there.
Comparing the metrics of CDL Stage 1 Major Qualifiers on the red platform, the number of league viewers has significantly increased compared to previous years. For instance, in 2022 (when all broadcasts were also exclusively on YouTube), the most popular qualification gathered 91.4K Peak Viewers, while the latest qualification gathered 168.8K — an 84% increase.
