Activision has denied a request by 100 Thieves to use Call of Duty: Warzone in a tournament series raising money for racial equality, the organization announced on Twitter today.
100 Thieves was planning on running a four-week tournament to raise funds for Gamers For Equality, along with the organization donating $100,000 on its own.
CashApp and JBL Audio were partnering up with 100 Thieves for the tournament, which was due to begin tomorrow and repeat weekly for four weeks.
The denial by Activision is a head-scratcher to begin with, but it’s even more of a conundrum considering the company allows KEEMSTAR, a man with a controversial past that includes the usage of racial slurs, to run Warzone Wednesday tournaments. Activision has allowed and even promoted tournaments from several different organizers, including NICKMERCS.
100 Thieves said it still hopes to host a tournament and is looking at “alternative solutions” to continue.
Esports journalist Rod “Slasher” Breslau said “100 Thieves was told by Activision that they could run a CoD charity tournament without a sponsor (CashApp) and 100T refused.”
Slasher says that one Call of Duty League owner told him that “it’s a shakedown” in order for 100 Thieves to sway public opinion.
Dot Esports has reached out to Activision for comment.
Update June 17 4:15pm CT: 100 Thieves CEO Nadeshot posted a video clarifying the situation between his organization and Activision.
Slasher’s report was accurate that Activision did not want CashApp as a sponsor, but a change couldn’t be made because CashApp was the company putting up the money for the tournament, so the tournament was called off.
Nadeshot also promised that the $100,000 would be going to Gamers for Equality in a new tournament with a different game soon.
