Call of Duty LAN was finally back in full force with the first Challengers Open event in months finally taking place at the Minnesota ROKKR Major 2. While it was Ultra Academy that came away with the win, we’ve got you covered with a full rundown of how the event unfolded.
- Ultra Academy NA close out top spot.
- Texas Nation, Team WaR, Strike X, finish among Top 8.
- First Challengers LAN event since March, 2020
- $75,000 prize pool
It had been 24 months since amateur CoD players from around the world had a chance to prove themselves against other regions on LAN. A lot had changed since the CDL’s first season with Modern Warfare in focus, but the passion from hungry players had nonetheless remained.
While $75K was on the line in Minnesota during CDL Major 2, the chance to become a breakout star and qualify for the Pro-Am Classic was all the more important.
If you missed out on any of the action, we’ve got you covered with a full look at the results below.
CDL Minnesota ROKKR Challengers Open: Final results (Top 8)
| Placement | Team | Prize |
| 1st | Ultra Academy NA | $24,000 |
| 2nd | M7 x Electrify | $12,000 |
| 3rd | Ultra Academy EU | $7,500 |
| 4th | Strike X | $6,000 |
| Top 6 | Texas Nation | $3,750 |
| Stallions | $3,750 | |
| Top 8 | Team WaR | $2,250 |
| Alpha Esports | $2,250 |
CDL Minnesota ROKKR Challengers Open: Schedule & Streams
The $75K Challengers Open event took place across three days, spanning Friday, April 1 through Sunday, April 3. It all kicked off at 10AM PT on the first day, with day two and day three beginning at 8AM PT.
Given the nature of open bracket events, teams were competing late into the evenings as long days followed one after another.
Unfortunately, there was no official broadcast for the Challengers competition. Despite teams paying their way and flying out from all regions, the League didn’t have any plans to promote the event.
Therefore, fans had to keep a close eye on social media for any mobile streams.
CDL Minnesota ROKKR Challengers Open: Format & Prize Pool
96 teams battled through a double-elimination bracket at the Challengers Open. Starting out, games were best of three, with teams needing just two map wins to advance.
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In the Top 32, however, games swapped to best of five, aligning with the regular CDL format.
Not to brag, but it’s cooler in person. pic.twitter.com/xyPeOh3QMq
— Minnesota RØKKR (@ROKKR) March 30, 2022
While $75,000 was up for grabs, along with the usual Challengers Points to help with future seeding, the real draw was available only to those who finish among the top four.
The four best teams in the Challengers Open punched their ticket to the CDL Pro-Am Classic in May. This first-of-its-kind event is set to pit all 12 CDL teams into a full LAN tournament with the four qualifying amateur teams.
Below is a full look at the prize pool split for the ROKKR Open:
- 1st – $24,000
- 2nd – $12,000
- 3rd – $7,500
- 4th – $6,000
- Top 6 – $3,750
- Top 8 – $2,250
- Top 12 – $1,875
- Top 16 – $1,500
CDL Minnesota ROKKR Challengers Open: Teams
As the first proper Challengers event in two years, squads from around the world descended upon Minnesota to prove themselves once again.
From APAC’s finest to Europe’s top contenders, there were plenty of veterans and budding stars alike to keep an eye on throughout the bracket.
- Read More: Call of Duty League 2022 power rankings
Texas Nation had been dominating NA Challengers for much of 2022. UYU returned with a stacked lineup. ROKKR’s own European Academy team made the trip. While three Aussie squads in Renegades, Mindfreak, and PointBlank also covered their own costs to compete.