Maven And Merk Set To Miss CDL Kickoff Classic, As Lottie Also Confirms CoD Exit
Shortly after the official CDL host for two years, Lottie, quit the scene, it appears that Maven and Merk could also be in a contract scrap and will miss the Kickoff Classic.
18th Jan 2022 10:30
CDL | Astro Gaming
Maven And Merk Set To Miss CDL Kickoff Classic, As Lottie Also Confirms CoD Exit
Shortly after the official CDL host for two years, Lottie, quit the scene, it appears that Maven and Merk could also be in a contract scrap and will miss the Kickoff Classic.
18th Jan 2022 10:30
CDL | Astro Gaming
Barring "something magical," it looks like the Call of Duty League's favourite casting duo of Clint "Maven" Evans and Joe "Merk" De Luca will be missing out on frontrunning the Kickoff Classic, adding more woes to the CDL's talent lineup who recently lost their host, Lottie Van-Praag.
With just over 72 hours (as of writing) to go before the CDL's seasonal curtain raiser is sparked into a frenzy, the broadcast line-up seems to be in turmoil, as Merk confirmed on stream that he's most likely not going to be making an appearance - alongside his partner, Maven.
Merk Says He Won't Be Appearing On The CDL Kickoff Classic Desk
With fans hoping to see the long-awaited launch of the CDL 2022 season, after a painful off-season, the Kickoff Classic is set to kickstart rivalries, action, and showcase brand-new rosters together on stage for the first time.
However, speaking on stream Merk confirmed that he and Maven will not be in attendance, sparking a debate into their contract situations for the upcoming season. The former OpTic Gaming professional and now renowned CDL commentator said "We won't be [at the Kickoff Classic], unless something magical happens."
The news comes just two weeks after he cast doubt over the future of both himself and Maven. On January 6 he told former teammate Tyler "TeePee" Polchow that the pair had yet to sign contracts for the upcoming season, as they were still seeing out their final days of a seemingly year-long stint of the 2021 season. With talks appearing to not be advancing, fans are now worried that they will go the same way as Lottie.
Will Maven And Merk Leave the CDL?
Following the exit of Lottie, which stunned the Call of Duty community, avid fans that tune into the broadcast are now hoping to see their favourite casters return - alongside a new unnamed host.
Fortunately, the casting duo was also not present at the 2021 Kickoff Classic, as the online event was pioneered by Miles Ross, which is the likely outcome for this year's seasonal red carpet.
Even though the duo missed out on last year too, the lack of a host, a confirmed map pool, a solidified ruleset, and casters' contract confusion, only spills more uncertainty to the success of a crucial year for Call of Duty.
About The Author
Jack Marsh
Jack is an Esports Journalist at GGRecon. Graduating from the University of Chester, with a BA Honours degree in Journalism, Jack is an avid esports enthusiast and specialises in Rocket League, Call of Duty, VALORANT, and trending gaming news.
