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How the NBA is Making Waves in eSports

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How the NBA is Making Waves in eSportsReading Time: 4 minutes

 

The National Basketball Association has just turned 73 years old and is one of the four major leagues for professional level sports in North America. Thanks to this age and prominence, it is often considered the world’s leading basketball league, with good reason. Whilst comprising of teams only from the United States and Canada, the NBA attracts many international players who join from every continent. In addition, the average NBA team is worth $1.9 billion, considerably more than teams in other leagues.

Expanding the Empire

The NBA is currently enacting a strategy to leverage its brand around the world, developing audiences in regions outside of the United States including the UK, Africa and China. As part of this it recently announced the launch of a NBA YouTube channel to stream games to sub-Saharan audiences.

The eSports Expansion

In 2017, the NBA and games developer Take-Two Interactive announced that 17 of the 30 NBA teams would be taking part in the inaugural NBA 2K eSports League. This list included big names like the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors. The first of these eSports games took place in 2018, using the NBA 2K video games. Like real life games, NBA 2K eSports League games are contested between two teams of 5 players, making use of the “Pro-Am” mode found in the consumer version of NBA 2K 2018.

Just like in real life basketball, the eSports teams are generally made up of the following types of player:

  • Point guard: generally taking the on court leadership role for the team, typically having the best ball handling and passing skills to assist in creating shots
  • Shooting guard: typically the best shooter on the team, tasked with exploiting these skills, particularly when shooting from behind the three-point line
  • Small forward: often considered the most versatile position of the five, the small forward often takes on the role of the shooting guard, but is more likely to score baskets from lay-ups or slam dunks in contrast to the shooting guard’s three-point shooting abilities
  • Power forward: a versatile role, similar to the centre, which requires shooting and defence skills against all types of players
  • Centre: typically the tallest players, defending against shots and collecting rebounds.

The “eSeason”

In the real world, the NBA Championship will be decided between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors in mid June. Currently, odds comparison site Oddschecker is ranking the Raptors as favourites to take the crown. However, the NBA 2K eSports season begins in spring and finishes in summer. This timing allows the NBA to have its brand utilised for a larger portion of the year, beyond the end of the traditional basketball season.

eSports has become a multi million dollar industry.  Photo by Anthony Brolin, License

 

First Mover Advantage

The NBA’s announcement in 2017 that it would be launching the NBA 2K eSports League meant that it was the first major sports brand in the United States to enter the world of eSports. In contrast, most other eSports leagues are organised by tech companies like Intel – or games companies like Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite. Therefore, if the NBA is successful it will have several years of development to build a loyal eSports fan base, before rivals such as the National Football League or Major League Baseball join the party.

Growing Already

After a successful first year, four additional real life NBA teams will be joining the NBA 2K eSports League lineup, bringing the total number to 21. These new teams are: the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets and the Minnesota Timberwolves.The growth provides mutual benefits, since the teams will bring with them their own existing supporters who are more likely to follow their team’s eSports team, than an unknown entrant. In addition, the fans of eSports are likely to also gain a stronger interest in the real life team, buying merchandise and visiting games.

Live Streaming

Just as traditional sports leagues like the NBA have sold rights to air games on TV, the NBA 2K eSports League has signed a deal to have its games streamed live over the internet. The deal with streaming platform Twitch sees all games shown live, available to its audience of 15 million daily active users. The multi year streaming deal also includes commentary and analysis, just like you would expect from traditional TV coverage of any other sport.

The NBA 2K eSports deal is not Twitch’s first with the NBA. In December 2017, the two companies signed a deal that enabled Twitch to live stream games from the NBA G League, the official minor league, with up to 6 matches each week being distributed on the platform.

Sponsorship

Just like traditional sports leagues, the NBA 2K eSports League has signed a number of major sponsorship deals with large companies. Games are played on computers provided by gaming PC brand Alienware, using powerful processing chipsets supplied by Intel. Players use HyperX sponsored headsets and Scuf Gaming branded controllers. Teams also have their own sponsors, with their logos displayed on the teams’ in-game uniforms, just like in real life.

Conclusion

The growth in eSports has been massive, with large sums of money now being invested in creating leagues with all of the hallmarks of a traditional sport. In its quest to become a global sports brand, the NBA has been able to leverage its existing assets to create a large following in eSports, almost overnight. By launching the league in 2018 with 17 existing NBA teams, the NBA 2K eSports League already had loyal fans of 17 established sports clubs who would want to support them. Thus, it has a pre-made fanbase, huge financial assets and an established brand to leverage sponsorship deals and to use in negotiations when selling streaming rights.

In addition, the NBA’s venture into eSports is a significant opportunity to expand the reach of its brand into new geographic regions, as well as to new demographics that had not previously been interested in basketball. Even if a player does not become an avid watcher of NBA games, sales of the NBA 2K video game titles are also likely to benefit from the exposure of the NBA 2K eSports League.


Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: How the NBA is Making Waves in eSports

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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GR8 Tech Hits the Road with New “Bet It Drives” Podcast—First Guest: Alex Pratt

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iGaming just got a new ride. Bet It Drives, GR8 Tech’s new podcast, takes the industry’s most interesting voices out of the studio and into the fast lane. Hosted by Yevhen Krazhan, CSO, each episode is filmed entirely in a moving car, with cameras rolling and London as the backdrop.

No predictable Q&As: Bet It Drives pairs high-energy visuals with relaxed, unscripted dialogue. Shot by the award-winning crew behind campaigns for global brands, the format blends high-energy visuals with the kind of candid moments you only get when people are truly relaxed.

“Bet It Drives was born from a simple idea—great conversations happen when people feel at ease,” said Yevhen Krazhan. “Driving through London strips away the formality, lets personalities shine, and captures the pace and unpredictability that define the iGaming industry.”

The premiere kicks off with Alex Pratt, Group Managing Director of Clarion Gaming, who oversees a portfolio of leading B2B events and media brands, including ICE, iGB Affiliate, and iGaming Business. With over two decades in the iGaming industry, Pratt has been instrumental in shaping its evolution and is recognized for his insights into emerging markets, technological advancements, and fostering community within the gaming sector.

During the ride, Alex opened up about:

  • ICE vs. iGB Live—which is his personal favorite, and why.
  • Organizing world-class iGaming events and how major decisions like moving ICE to Barcelona come together behind the scenes.
  • Partnering with big tech and how such collaborations shape the future of iGaming.
  • Advice for startups attending conferences.
  • Alex’s Spotify playlist and the tracks that keep him going.
  • The most jaw-dropping booths he’s ever seen on the exhibition floor.
  • Which panels or attendees would he ban for the greater good of the industry.
  • Memorable after-parties—the kind you don’t forget, even if you wish you could.

“Alex really showed us what is happening on the front and the back of high-end igaming events,” said Krazhan. “From the strategic calls that shape entire conferences to the wild stories that never make the press, this episode is a perfect mix of insider knowledge, candid moments, and the kind of energy that makes you wish the ride was longer.”

With upcoming guests including Stephen Crystal, Rohini Sardana, and Helen Walton, Bet It Drives is set to deliver brilliant storytelling, unscripted moments, and a visual style unlike anything else in iGaming media.

Access Episode 1 with Alex Pratt on YouTube or Spotify—and buckle up.

The post GR8 Tech Hits the Road with New “Bet It Drives” Podcast—First Guest: Alex Pratt appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience

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With four spots, one stage and R60 000 on the line, South Africa’s sharpest squads are gearing up for a Call of Duty clash like no other.

The 2025 Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience is about to get louder, faster and more intense. Hyprop, in collaboration with MTN, is introducing SHIFT COD – a Call of Duty tournament designed to test South Africa’s sharpest squads in a no-excuses, high-pressure arena. Four online qualifiers. One LAN finale. R60,000 in prize money. Only the best survive.

The format stays sharp and unforgiving: each qualifier is a single-elimination best-of-five series. Teams will battle across Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Only the top squad from each of the four qualifier events will earn a shot at the LAN finale, taking place at Canal Walk on 12 and 13 September. Finalists will cover their own travel and accommodation, but the stage – and the spotlight – will be waiting.

“The Shift Gaming Experience is about putting real competition at the centre of public spaces and connecting people through the power of play,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “Adding Call of Duty to the lineup takes the intensity up a notch. We’re giving gamers a serious platform to show what they can do – live, on stage and in front of a crowd.”

The four qualifiers took place online, where teams signed up for free:

All qualifier finals were broadcast, giving fans full access to the action and allowing players to gain exposure beyond the scoreboard.

Four teams qualify for the LAN finale, where they’ll compete in a double-elimination bracket for a prize pool structured as follows:

  • 1st place: R30,000
  • 2nd place: R15,000
  • 3rd place: R10,000
  • 4th place: R5,000

Now in its third year, the Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience has become one of the country’s most visible platforms for esports and casual gaming. Hosted at Hyprop-owned malls including Canal Walk, Clearwater and The Glen, the experience blends competitive tournaments with public engagement to bring gaming into the mainstream.

“MTN SHIFT isn’t about gimmicks. It’s built for players, whether you’re grinding in ranked or showing up to prove a point on LAN,” said Stanbridge. “We’ve seen how gaming can energise our spaces and create new communities. SHIFT COD builds on that energy.”

With only four LAN spots available, the window to make your mark is narrow, and the competition will be ruthless. Visit acgl.gg/mtnshift.

Remaining Tournament Dates & Venues:

SHIFT COD is part of the MTN Shift Gaming Experience which takes place at:

Capegate – Online Qualifier: 31 Aug | In-Centre Event: 5 – 7 Sep

Canal Walk – Online Qualifier: 7 Sep | In-Centre Event: 17 – 21 Sep

The post Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Embrace the Mayhem with BGaming’s Joker vs Joker

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Rapidly expanding content provider pits two Jokers against one another in the all-new Joker vs Joker slot

 

Popular iGaming content provider BGaming invites players to enter a multiverse of mayhem in the Joker vs Joker slot. This daring new title puts a spin on the classic Joker theme by leaning into the popular multiverse trend and pitting two Jokers against one another.

Joker vs Joker combines a nostalgic 1950s comic book aesthetic with modern and innovative slot mechanics to create a unique gaming experience. The slot is a prime example of BGaming’s publishing efforts — the result of collaboration with the Golden Goat Gaming studio, bringing a completely original creative vision to life.

In the game, two different Jokers battle it out for supremacy on the reels thanks to the innovative Versus feature. Players are tasked with spinning the reels and landing wins of up to 7,500x their stake. Of course, the Jokers have several tricks up their sleeves to help players along the way, awarding mystery multipliers as a result of their fights. The game comes loaded with an exciting Free Spins feature where VS symbols appear every spin, as well as the increased possibility of triggering the Multiplier Wild showdowns with the No Joke Spin mode.

Joker vs Joker serves up a robust math model, featuring medium-volatility gameplay and the strong RTP of 95.50%. Players can also skip the queue and trigger the Free Spins bonus by using the game’s Buy Bonus feature.

Nikita Zavadsky, Custom Games Product Owner at BGaming, said: “Multiversal action is everywhere you look these days, and we decided to get the online slot world in on the action.

Joker vs Joker has allowed our team to express ourselves creatively and put a new spin on the iconic Joker theme. We are also very proud of the game’s retro visuals and design, and are delighted to have worked alongside Golden Goat Gaming in developing the slot.”

The post Embrace the Mayhem with BGaming’s Joker vs Joker appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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