This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The New York Subliners came up one map short in their quest of taking down OpTic Texas in the Call of Duty League championship playoffs in Allen, Texas, on Saturday.
They’ll get another shot at doing it on Sunday, this time with the league championship — and nearly a million dollars — on the line.
The last two unbeaten teams remaining entering Saturday, the Subliners and OpTic alternated wins throughout their winners’ bracket final match, OpTic emerging with a 3-2 win to advance to the grand final. The Subliners immediately rebounded, however, overcoming a 2-1 deficit to beat the Toronto Ultra in the losers’ bracket final and earning the other spot in Sunday’s grand final.
Championship Weekend is the culmination of the CDL season. With teams collecting championship points based on their finish in each of the four regular-season majors, the top eight point-getters qualified for the championship tournament. After a tournament of best-of-five matches, OpTic and the Subliners will play a best-of-nine match for the final.
The champion will take home $800,000.
Saturday began with a pair of elimination matches — and a pair of season-ending sweeps. First, the Los Angeles Thieves made quick work of the Miami Heretics, winning 250-218 on Vista Hardpoint, 6-3 on Invasion Search & Destroy and 3-0 on Karachi Control. After that, the Toronto Ultra dominated the Atlanta FaZe in similar fashion, winning 250-160 on 6 Star Hardpoint, 6-2 on Rio Search & Destroy, and 3-2 on Invasion Control.
In the next elimination round, the Thieves and Ultra played a much tighter affair. After the Thieves took 6 Star Hardpoint 250-213 to open the match, the Ultra won 6-1 on Invasion Search & Destroy and 3-1 on Invasion Control. LA stayed alive with a 250-186 win on Rio Hardpoint but Toronto responded with a 6-4 win on Rio Search & Destroy in the do-or-die fifth map.
In the winners’ bracket final played next, OpTic took Karachi Hardpoint 250-219 in the first map. The Subliners responded with a 6-5 win on 6 Star Search & Destroy. OpTic took Invasion Control 3-1 to move within one win of taking the match, but again New York responded with a 250-245 win on Rio Hardpoint. Texas left no doubt in the final map, however, winning Invasion Search & Destroy 6-1 to advance to the grand final.
The loss knocked the Subliners into the losers’ bracket final against the Ultra. Toronto opened with a 250-214 win on Karachi Hardpoint and, after New York took Karachi Search & Destroy 6-2, took the lead again with a 3-1 win on Highrise Control.
New York again had an answer, taking Vista Hardpoint 250-189. But unlike the rest of the match, there would be no alternating win. Instead, the Subliners beat the Ultra 6-2 in Invasion Search & Destroy to book its rematch with OpTic on Sunday.
Sunday’s Grand Final:
–OpTic Texas vs. New York Subliners
Call of Duty League Championship results and prize money
1. $800,000 — TBD
2. $480,000 — TBD
3. $320,000 — Toronto Ultra
4. $160,000 — Los Angeles Thieves
5-6. $80,000 — Miami Heretics, Atlanta FaZe
7-8. $40,000 — Los Angeles Guerrillas, Seattle Surge
–Field Level Media
