A major esports event is coming to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Røkkr, the Eagan-based esports franchise, will host the Call of Duty League’s second major of the season March 31 - April 3 at Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minn.
The event will be the first time a large-scale professional esports competition takes place in the Midwest since the Call of Duty League and the Minnesota Røkkr hosted the league’s launch weekend in January 2020 at the Armory. That event attracted about 10,000 attendees.
All 12 Call of Duty League teams will compete in-person on stage, with fans in attendance. The tournament – one of four ‘Major’ tournaments of the season – comes with a $500,000 prize pool; the team that wins the event takes home $200,000.
“We’re thrilled to bring the highest caliber of live professional esports competition back to Minnesota, and to partner with Mystic Lake to create a great fan experience around the event,” Brett Diamond, chief operating officer at Version1, which operates Røkkr, said in a statement. “Being selected as one of four markets to host a Call of Duty League Major is a credit to the passion Røkkr fans have shown since we hosted the opening event of the inaugural 2020 season. This event is an opportunity to bring together esports fans from across the region, and welcome in those who are simply curious about esports and want to check out the spectacle for themselves.”
General Admission tickets start at $20 for a single day ticket. A four-day general admission pass is $70.
In addition to the professional COD League tournament, Røkkr is also hosting a Challengers tournament. Challengers is the amateur competitive circuit that serves as the formal path to pro for up-and-coming Call of Duty players. The Challengers tournament will take place at the same venue, March 31-April 3 and will feature up-to 96 teams of four. More information on that tournament will be released by Røkkr at a later date.