North American esports are in for a thrilling shift as XDOTG, a prominent esports agency, takes a significant step by acquiring the operating rights to the Vancouver Surge, a Call of Duty League franchise under Canucks Sports and Entertainment. The announcement, made by XDOTG’s founder Alex Gonzalez, marks a pivotal move for the agency as it prepares to manage and operate the franchise for the upcoming 2026 season.
Exciting New Team Addition
The collaboration, announced on November 6th, 2025, is XDOTG’s first major partnership since its inception in September, although financial terms remain undisclosed. With this partnership, several notable figures are set to join the Vancouver Surge. Ricky ‘Atura’ Lugo, Nate ‘Swagchecked’ Betancourt, and Jaden ‘Kazbo’ Kurtz will play key roles in the franchise. Atura takes the helm as Head Coach and General Manager, Kazbo steps in as the Creative Director, and Swagchecked assumes the role of Brand Manager. These individuals bring a wealth of experience from their tenure with the Challengers organization OMiT, where they worked on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone.
XDOTG has secured the operating rights to Vancouver Surge, a franchise owned by Canucks Sports and Entertainment, marking a significant milestone for the agency.
The Rise of Vancouver Surge
Vancouver Surge has been a formidable force in the Call of Duty League throughout 2025. The team consistently performed well, achieving second-place finishes at both Major 2 and Major 3 tournaments in March and April, and ultimately securing another second-place at the CDL Championship 2025. However, in a strategic move to refresh its lineup for the upcoming Black Ops 7 season in December, the franchise parted ways with its entire roster on August 13th. As of now, the new player lineup remains under wraps.
This partnership signals a promising future for XDOTG. Following the sale of Luminosity Gaming to Vertiqal Studios in August, Gonzalez, alongside former Enthusiast Gaming executives, launched XDOTG. Now, with its first significant partnership with Canucks Sports and Entertainment, the agency is well-positioned to attract other influential stakeholders in the esports industry.