eleague

Josh Cohen

ORLANDO – Think you have what it takes to be a professional basketball video game player? Are you sharp with the controller and astute with the sport?

Now could be the time for your masked talent to be showcased to the world. The NBA 2K League – the first esports league operated by one of the four major pro sports leagues in the U.S. – is coming to Orlando and 16 other NBA markets in 2018.

Tryouts (almost like a pre-draft combine) will take place in February, the draft will occur in March and the inaugural season will tip off in May. Each team will select five players. They will live in the city where the team is based and they, collectively, will compete at one or two central locations in head-to-head games and tournaments throughout the season in five-on-five matchups.

What you won’t see in this competition are the electronic versions of LeBron James, Steph Curry or any current or former NBA player. That’s because each individual player will have their own avatar. Artificial intelligence will be excluded and playing ability will strictly be determined by skill.

Brendan Donohue, the managing director responsible for overseeing the NBA 2K League, is excited about what’s ahead for the participating NBA franchises and the millions of esports gamers and fans across the globe.

“We know that of our NBA teams, two-thirds of their social media followers are outside the U.S. so this gives all of our 17 teams a chance to engage with these fans in a new way,” he said. “We have 1.6 million players playing every single day. We know we have millions of NBA fans and we know they are more likely to play video games than other fans and more likely to engage in esports than other fans.”

The original NBA 2K was developed and released in 1999. Now 18 years later, the popularity of this simulated basketball game has rocketed to incredible heights. Games in the NBA 2K series have been nominated for several awards through the years and it is currently the highest-rated and highest-selling sports title among U.S. sports leagues. The 2017 version sold nine million copies.

“Over the last 10 years, 2K sales have gone up by roughly eight million which is astounding,” Donohue said. “It’s been gradual. Having now spent a lot of time with the 2K development folks, they are incredibly innovative. As far as the really joining part of our DNA for 2K and us is that we make innovation a big priority."

While the NBA is ecstatic to have 17 teams involved for the first season, the belief is that more and more teams will hop aboard in the future. It’s even possible, as Donohue pointed out, the league could expand to non-NBA clubs from throughout the world.

“This is a global entity,” he said. “We have a very strong appetite from fans outside of the U.S. that are interested in 2K so we see more opportunities down the road to expand.”

The audience for esports is expected to reach 385 million by the end of this year with half being devoted enthusiasts. This newly formed league has encouraged many of them to intensify their training with hopes of getting drafted and fulfilling a dream.

The pool is large so the competition will be fierce. But as Donohue and other league executives advise, keep practicing.

“We are going to find the best 85 players on the planet at this game,” Donohue said. “All that matters are their skills. The only determinate of whether you make the league or not will be your own stick skills.”

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NBA 2K League Exciting Opportunity for Gamers Across Globe

ORLANDO -- Looking to stay at the forefront of technological innovation and evolution while also developing more ways to reach youthful audiences, the Orlando Magic unveiled plans on Thursday to participate in NBA 2K’s esports league.

The NBA 2K esports league, which is the first operated by a U.S. professional sports league, will debut in 2018. The Magic will be one of 17 NBA teams participating in the inaugural league, joining the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.

``We are extremely excited to take part in this new league venture and look forward to the opportunities ahead from a social engagement, branding and digital standpoint,’’ Magic CEO Alex Martins said. ``esports is one of the fastest growing industries and to be among the trailblazers in the fact that the NBA is the first professional sports league to formalize its own eleague fits well with our culture of innovation. We believe this new enterprise will help accelerate the growth of esports, grow the game of basketball, and reach a new, youthful, diverse and global audience.’’

Esports is quickly becoming the fastest-growing and most-watched sport in the U.S. Evidence of that can be seen in the fact that 1.3 million viewers watched NBC’s live stream of the New England Patriots rallying to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

Further proof regarding the explosion of esports’ popularity can be seen in the fact that more than 100 million viewers watch video-game play each month, according to Twitch. That number is expected to jump to 145 million video-game viewers a month by the end of 2017, according to Newzoo. Also, total revenues for esports jumped 41 percent from 2016 ($493 million) to 2017 ($696 million) and that figure is expected to climb to $1.5 billion by 2020.

Of those viewers of live stream video games, 58 percent are males ranging in age from 10-to-35 years old – an audience that the NBA is eager to try and capture.

The NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) first announced plans in February to launch the new, esports venture – a competitive gaming league that will bring together the best basketball gamers in the world. Up next, each of the participating NBA teams will start forming their teams for the 2018 NBA 2K esports league.

``This is the first step in what promises to be an extraordinary league, bringing together the world’s best gamers and showcasing elite competition on an international stage,’’ NBA 2K esports league Managing Director Brendan Donohue said. ``Our teams have expressed tremendous enthusiasm for esports, and we are looking forward to forming something truly unique for basketball and gaming fans around the globe.’’

While most of the boom in live stream video-game viewing has come via fantasy games, NBA 2K’s esports league will be one of the first with a sports-based theme.

Each NBA 2K esports league team will feature five players who will play the game using newly created avatars (not existing NBA players). This is a key differentiator as other traditional sports video games are one-on-one; NBA 2K presents the opportunity to create a team dynamic with five players facing teams with five different players.

The NBA has a long history of collaborating with 2K, a partner with the league since 1999. NBA 2K is currently the highest-rated and highest-revenue-generating sports title in North America and the second-highest sports game globally, behind only FIFA in units sold. NBA 2K17 is on-pace to sell more than 9 million total copies this year.

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.

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Orlando Magic to Participate in NBA 2K ESports League

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