INDIANAPOLIS — The NBA 2K League is coming to the Pavilion at Pan Am in downtown Indianapolis for live competition starting Wednesday. The league will hold several tournaments here through August. There is a $2.5 million prize pool for the competitions here in Indianapolis.
"It's a professional esports League," said Matt Arden, head of content and media for the NBA 2K League. "We play basketball, but we play it digitally. There's 24 teams in the league. Twenty-two from traditional NBA franchises and two international squads."
The league has been around for five years and has been to several cities around the world. This is the first time they will hold an entire season of in-person competition outside of New York.
"We have the ability to build this amazing esports facility and this awesome, awesome venue here," Arden said. "It was the perfect fit for us this season. I think Indianapolis is making true to its claim that it's the city of champions."
"Luckily the league has finally decided to move from New York to Indianapolis", said Xavier "Type" Vescovi, a Broad Ripple native and member of the Raptors Uprising. "Being my hometown, and I know I'm the only person from Indiana that's in the league. I get to represent pretty well, and I get to put on in front of my friends and family."
Vescovi graduated from Broad Ripple High School and attended Indiana State University for two years before getting drafted to the NBA 2K League.
"I was actually working at the Keystone Fashion Mall, not too far from here," he said. "It's crazy because my friends always knew I was good at 2K. When Take-Two and NBA announced they were going to be coming out with this league and creating something special in 2017, I knew in 2018 when they were having an open tryout, I'm going to have a good shot at it."
Vescovi has been in the league since its inception five years ago. He's been on three different teams so far.
"I think the NBA 2K League is the most exciting esports to watch, especially live," Arden said. "Our players get so into it. There is yelling and screaming and trash talk. All in like a positive way, but it's a loud vocal, fun, exciting league."
Fans can purchase tickets for the in-person action at Home - NBA 2K League. Fans not in attendance can watch live on Twitch and YouTube.
Complete 2022 NBA 2K League competition schedule:
• March 23 – 26 SLAM OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
• March 30 – April 2 SLAM OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
• April 5 – 8 THE TIPOFF Group Play (Remote)
• April 12 – 15 THE TIPOFF Group Play (Remote)
• April 20 – 23 THE TIPOFF Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• April 26 – 29 SLAM OPEN Group Play (Remote)
• April 27 – 30 STEAL OPEN Amateur Europe Qualifying Event (Remote)
• May 3 – 6 SLAM OPEN Group Play (Remote)
• May 4 – 7 STEAL OPEN Amateur APAC Qualifying Event (Remote)
• May 11 – 14 SLAM OPEN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• May 18 – 21 SWITCH OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
• May 25 – 28 SWITCH OPEN Amateur North America Qualifying Event (Remote)
• May 24 – 27 THE TURN Group Play (Remote)
• May 31 – June 3 THE TURN Group Play (Remote)
• June 8 – 11 THE TURN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• June 14 – 17 SWITCH OPEN Group Play (Remote)
• June 21 – 24 SWITCH OPEN Group Play (Remote)
• June 29 – July 2 SWITCH OPEN Bracket Play (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• July 5 – 8 5v5 Seed Weeks (Remote)
• July 12 – 15 5v5 Seed Weeks (Remote)
• July 19 – 22 3v3 Seed Weeks (Remote)
• July 26 – July 29 3v3 Seed Weeks (Remote)
• August 1 – 7 League-Wide Bye Week
• August 10 – 11 STEAL OPEN (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• August 12 – 13 THE TICKET (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• August 17 – 20 NBA2KL 3v3 Playoffs and Finals (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)
• August 24 – 27 NBA2KL 5v5 Playoffs and Finals (NBA 2K League Studio, Indianapolis)