CPL Shuts its Doors

[Webs961]

Just announced today, the Cyberathlete Professional League (http://thecpl.com) will close its doors effective immediately due to the changing climate of the professional gaming world.
Effective immediately, the Cyberathlete Professional League (CPL) will cease operations. Therefore, all CPL events currently scheduled for 2008 are hereby canceled.

The CPL was launched in June 1997 with the pioneering mission of promoting and sanctioning video game competitions as a professional sport. For ten years the CPL events experienced increased growth - commencing with a small LAN event in Dallas, Texas, and culminating in world-class competitions across five continents.

However, the current fragmentation of the sport, a crowded field of competing leagues, and the current economic climate have prompted the CPL to suspend its pro-tournament operations. The CPL regrets that this news will disappoint those that were planning on attending the summer and winter events this year.

Many thanks to all of the sponsors and partners that helped CPL establish the groundwork for professional video game competitions. Their vision and pioneering spirit should always be remembered.


During its operation, the CPL awarded more than $3,000,000 in prize money as of 2006. However, with the loss of sponsors for CPL, it can no longer sustain itself. The CAL (http://www.caleague.com), a subsidiary of the CPL, has not announced any plans for closure.

Former CPL participants are encouraged and welcomed to join the Total Gaming League (http://league.totalgamingnetwork.com), a tournament consisting of many team based leagues and ladders for the most popular games.

Source: CPL Ceases Operations (http://www.thecpl.com/?p=1920)

[Manzi]

wow big surprise. go TGL!

[Repulse]

I guess its good news for all those other leagues. Quick go get their sponsors! :D.

[sava700]

CPL has had a mix of issues for a while.. a influx of disagreements between them and CAL. This is in no way "GOOD NEWS" for anyone including TGL.

I have no idea why anyone would celebrate this as good news when its a big hit to the Gaming/Competition community as a whole. Guess the only ones would be the pub noob kids that do only that--- PUB.

[Chris_Redfield]

This is awful news.

Former CPL participants are encouraged and welcomed to join the Total Gaming League, a tournament consisting of many team based leagues and ladders for the most popular games.

This is... tasteless.

Ive read a little about it but I cant seem to narrow the problem that caused it, down. Anyone able to shed some light?

[[MyIS]Tim]

This is awful news.
This is... tasteless.

agreed its awful news..... but why is it tasteless to pick up the slack they left behind

its the nature of the beast :salute:

[Chris_Redfield]

Advertising is good, but not like this. Whats missing in school in July?

[Vash2051]

Students, do I win?

[Vreki]

I have no idea why anyone would celebrate this as good news when its a big hit to the Gaming/Competition community as a whole. Guess the only ones would be the pub noob kids that do only that--- PUB.

You are not doing much to gather sympathy from the casual gamers, or "pub noob kids" as you so graciously call us.

For the large majority of gamers this will have zero impact on life, and is hardly newsworthy. Its a shame for the members, but it is not the end of gaming as we know it.

[Chris_Redfield]

Students, do I win?

Class.

As for how will it affect public server gamers? If you play 1-3 hours a day and arent really interested in the ins and outs of the game, you will be unaffected. Then again, if FIFA was ditched today, I wouldnt give a rats as5 either. Doesnt mean the loss wouldnt be significant.

[sava700]

You are not doing much to gather sympathy from the casual gamers, or "pub noob kids" as you so graciously call us.

For the large majority of gamers this will have zero impact on life, and is hardly newsworthy. Its a shame for the members, but it is not the end of gaming as we know it.

Competition community is larger than you think...without them many games you play now wouldn't have been made.

[GeneralPatton]

Much rather have seen CPL stick around than CAL.

[[MyIS]Airborne]

Leagues, Ladders & Tournaments come and go. This just makes room for the new leagues to grow. CPL had it's run and it was a good one but now it's time to move on.

RIP CPL :salute:

AB

[sava700]

Much rather have seen CPL stick around than CAL.


CAL wasn't bad..it was the majority that ran it is what made it bad. You have these leagues including CAL that pushed mods to compete in many games (ie.. BF2 you had to use BF2pro, COD4 you had to use PAM). These games were made just fine to compete in without making a new game, which is all they were. BF2 had so much content to use (unlocks and many many custom maps) to use its competition life could have lasted afew more seasons than what it did. I could go on and on..but what it came down to was CAL was the best place for teams to use to play games in competition...it just got flipped upside down with a few that are running the show.

The one single thing that is killing off these great games within the competition community and clans hopes to grow and expand along with leagues/ladders etc are the same very thing that killed off the MODS for Bf2...i'm sure anyone here with half a brain can figure it out without me saying it again and getting another complaint of negative responses sent in behind the forum scenes here.