'NBA 2K' eSports League Announced By NBA, Take-Two Interactive

The NBA and Take-Two Interactive have partnered to launch an eSports league for the NBA 2K series, according to ESPN.

As ESPN reports, the league is tentatively set to launch in 2018 and will feature 30 teams run by each NBA franchise. Each team will feature five human players who go through a five-month regular season, complete with playoffs and a league championship. Players are signed to teams through a draft and will draw a salary. Real NBA players won’t be included in the league’s games, but players will be able to create a custom avatar.

The NBA’s move reflects the growing popularity of eSports among younger fans. Games like League of Legends and Starcraft II have been the primary driver for major eSports competitions and press attention. In January, the Big Ten athletic conference announced it would launch a broadcast League of Legends tournament among its member schools.

Among eSports leagues, though, the NBA’s partnership with Take-Two Interactive is one of the more higher-profile collaborations in the gaming space. Prior to this, the NBA had taken a piecemeal approach to the eSports market. As ESPN notes, owners from the Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks had made investments in eSports leagues, while the Houston Rockets hired a director for eSports. Former Los Angeles Laker Rick Fox also launched his own eSports organization last year.

Take-Two is well equipped to take a more formal approach to eSports competitions, as the NBA 2K series has long featured a suite of competitive modes and a strong community for online multiplayer. But with the backing of one of the world’s largest sports leagues, the pending NBA 2K eSports league could have a strong impact on the larger eSports market.