If there was any lingering doubt about the ever-increasing cultural impact of the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 6 was the top-selling game in the US for October, and also ranks as the third best-selling game of 2024 so far. Now, the franchise seems to have inspired the nationally ranked University of Kentucky men's basketball team to achieve new levels of success. The Kentucky Wildcats are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation and remain undefeated with a 5-0 record, a feat senior guard Koby Brea credits to the team's Call of Duty-inspired training regimen, Ball of Duty.
During a press conference attended by Kentucky Sports Radio, Brea detailed the rules of Ball of Duty and how it was integrated into the team's practice. 'We start to see more clips on film of how connected our team is defensively. How many kills we're getting—you know, three stops in a row,' Brea explained. 'That's something we take pride in and it's something funny that the coaches do. They call it Ball of Duty, and it's just because a lot of guys on the team play Call of Duty... And that's like a game within the game... Every game so far, we've been winning that battle.'
This strategy is effective for any sports team, as preventing the opposing side from scoring is crucial to winning games. It appears that the University of Kentucky coaches have simply translated the concept of multiple defensive stops into 'kills,' a term familiar to their Call of Duty-playing athletes. If this approach motivates the team to play better defense, then the coaching staff has effectively done their job.
Off the court, the players can look forward to diving into the new Black Ops 6 Zombies map in early December, or even playing as a gun-toting raccoon in the latest DLC. Looking ahead, Microsoft has reportedly formed a new committee to guide the franchise's future, and there are early whispers about the 2027 Call of Duty game.
Source link: https://www.gamespot.com
