New York Subliners Win $100k COD Pro-Am Classic
Following a relatively poor season so far, the New York Subliners crept out from the shadows to win big at the COD Pro-Am Classic. There were almost no expectations for NYSL to achieve anything substantial over the last weekend, but the second-from-bottom side surprised everybody at the tournament. Since the 2022 CDL season kicked off, NYSL has won just four matches in the regular season.
At the COD Pro-Am Classic, the Subliners went undefeated in both the group stage and the bracket stage. They effortlessly handed down losses to the likes of the Royal Ravens, LA Thieves, Team WaR, Paris Legion, and Toronto Ultra. Within the course of a weekend, NYSL secured a massive $100k prize and showed the Call of Duty community that it cannot be counted out just yet.
The Underdog Story
In our COD Pro-Am Classic predictions piece, we suggested that the following teams would break out of their respective groups:
- Atlanta FaZe, Toronto Ultra
- OpTic Texas, Minnesota Rokkr
- Royal Ravens, LA Thieves
- Boston Breach, Ultra Academy NA
By the end of the group stage, the scene was in disarray, with many teams breaking expectations one way or another. We almost had one of the amateur teams step up, with Ultra Academy NA losing out on entering the Playoffs by just one map loss. No other amateur team came close, with the exception of Strike X, sitting one position above Seattle Surge in Group A.
It was the New York Subliners that wowed everybody with a remarkable performance, almost refusing to drop a single map in the entire tournament. At this point, NYSL remains the second-worst team in the Call of Duty League by overall statistics, but this huge win will surely be a morale boost moving forwards.
OpTic Lost Sight
Moving into the Pro-Am Classic, the Call of Duty betting tips suggested that OpTic Texas or Atlanta FaZe would snatch the top prize. However, despite a stellar performance from both teams in the Group Stage, the Playoffs proved to be too much for them to handle. Both of the odds-on favourites dropped out – Atlanta FaZe losing to OpTic themselves, who then went on to lose against LA Thieves in the very next round.
There are arguments surfacing that suggests NYSL had a relatively easy path to progress. However, the Subliners picked up a more dominant streak than any other side in the tournament, and points have to be awarded for that alone. As we’ve pointed out many times, the world of Call of Duty esports is an unpredictable place, and at any point, an underdog side can snatch the grand prize.
As we push on into the next season of the Call of Duty League, OpTic Texas will be looking to regain first place. At present, just fifteen points separate OpTic and Atlanta FaZe, but from May 13th to the 5th of June, that could all change.
In the opening week of the Major III Qualifiers, keep your eyes open for the following fixtures:
- New York Subliners vs. Atlanta FaZe
- OpTic Texas vs. Florida Mutineers
- Seattle Surge vs. Paris Legion
