100 Thieves Returns to Call of Duty with New Team -- L.A. Thieves
When franchising came to Call of Duty, it seemed obvious that 100 Thieves, the gaming lifestyle brand co-owned by former professional gamer Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag, would be a part of things.
After all the success it had in the now defunct Call of Duty World League, 100 Thieves should’ve been an obvious contender for a franchised team in the new Call of Duty League, but the contracts just never worked out, reportedly due to the high costs. Up until now.
The Immortals Gaming Club owned the CDL’s OpTic Gaming Los Angeles team until they sold the brand back to Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez in late 2019. But Rodriguez already owned the Chicago Huntsmen, and it’s against CDL rules to own more than one franchise.
Enter 100 Thieves, which hasn’t been a part of the Call of Duty competitive scene since August 2019. Rodriguez and Haag are close friends, having both been professional players, and the deal was officially announced last week.
Purchase details have not been released, but the newest CDL team, the Los Angeles Thieves, has replaced OpTic Gaming Los Angeles and is set to play in 2021 with a roster consisting of Austin “SlasheR” Liddicoat, Kenny “Kuavo” Williams, Thomas “TJHaLy” Haly, and Zack “Drazah” Jordan as a substitute. The fourth starting position remains a question mark for now, but the Thieves will likely begin announcing roster moves soon.
-- by Kyle King
