On May 2, 2019, Activision Blizzard announced that Atlanta Esports Ventures had purchased one of the first five franchise slots for the Call of Duty League. According to ESPN, the publisher was looking to sell slots for approximately $25 million per team.[1][2] "We have the opportunity to — once again — play a pivotal role in Atlanta's diverse esports community by bringing the future of Call of Duty esports to the city," said Hamilton in a release at the time.[3]
The team, which is a partnership between Atlanta Esports Ventures and FaZe Clan, was announced in October 2019 as one of the first twelve franchises to compete in the inaugural COD League.[4][5] Atlanta FaZe was the second Atlanta based team investment after Atlanta Reign from the Overwatch League, and is the third region-based team for FaZe.[4] Atlanta announced its inaugural season roster the same month.[6] As the league was modeled on the region-based format of traditional sports teams and the Overwatch League, all players were based in the Atlanta area.[4] The team's coach is James “Crowder” Crowder, known for winning the Call of Duty Championship 2015 as a member of Denial Esports.[7]
The team won the Atlanta Home Series in February 2020,[8] followed by a win in the Florida Home Series in May, making them the second team after Dallas Empire to win two tournaments.[9] In May 2020, Atlanta FaZe became the team with the highest standing in the COD League.[10]