NBA 2K League to tip off 2020 season with remote gameplay beginning Tuesday, May 5
April 27, 2020
Sixteen Matches Each Week Will be Livestreamed on Twitch and Youtube
The NBA 2K League announced today that the start of its 2020 regular season will begin Tuesday, May 5 with at least six weeks of remote gameplay. All 23 NBA 2K League teams, including Grizz Gaming, will participate in regular-season gameplay from their local markets. All Grizz Gaming matches will be simulcast live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels and the team’s full schedule will be announced later this week.
“All of us at Grizz Gaming are excited to tip off season three of the NBA 2K League,” said Grizz Gaming General Manager and Head Coach Lang Whitaker. “This has been a difficult time for everyone, but we’ve been working hard and we can’t wait to finally be able to take part in games that count.”
Games will begin at 7 p.m. ET every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with four distinct matchups each night. Over the course of the six weeks of remote gameplay, each team is scheduled to play at least eight matches that will count toward its regular-season record. Each match will be played in a best-of-three format, which will allow the NBA 2K League broadcast to switch between games in real-time and give fans more opportunities to experience the league’s most exciting moments. Each three-game-series victory will represent one regular-season win, and each three-game-series loss will represent one regular-season loss. The start-of-season game schedule will be announced in the coming days.
The 2020 season will once again include three in-season tournaments (THE TIPOFF, THE TURN and THE TICKET), in which teams compete for banners that link together to form THE BANNER CHAIN powered by AT&T. All 23 teams will compete in THE TIPOFF and THE TURN. The 14 teams that are not one of the top nine playoff seeds will compete in THE TICKET, which will see the winning team earn the 10th and final spot in the 2020 NBA 2K League Playoffs. In addition, select NBA 2K League teams will host rivalry matches and round-robin events. The remainder of the 2020 season schedule and structure, including the dates of tournaments, rivalry matches and round-robin events, will be shared as information becomes available.
The NBA 2K League will implement an innovative production model that allows for a remote broadcast in all 23 team markets and NBA 2K League broadcasters to announce games in their homes from a virtual NBA 2K League Studio, while switching between games occurring at the same time.
“We are thrilled to officially tip off the 2020 NBA 2K League season remotely and hope the excitement of NBA 2K League competition provides both new and returning fans with a fun way to stay connected and engage with our league during these unprecedented times,” said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue. “Our players have been quarantining with their teammates as they prepare for the season and will now have the opportunity to compete against one another and show they are the best players in the world.”
New for the 2020 season, the NBA 2K League has launched a campaign entitled, “THIS IS NOT A GAME.” From the NBA 2K League Combine to the Draft, regular season to the Finals, the NBA 2K League is more than just a game; it’s a way of life filled with hours of practice and preparation for a season of challenges where only one team can emerge as champions. For the latest news and updates on the NBA 2K League and #ThisIsNotAGame, fans can sign up to receive emails at NBA2KLeague.com and follow the NBA 2K League on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch and YouTube.
The six-week remote schedule is listed below.
| Date | Week |
|---|---|
| May 5-8 | Regular Season – Week 1 |
| May 12-15 | Regular Season – Week 2 |
| May 19-22 | Regular Season – Week 3 |
| May 26-29 | Regular Season – Week 4 |
| June 2-5 | Regular Season – Week 5 |
| June 9-12 | Regular Season – Week 6 |
Fans can follow the team on Twitch at twitch.tv/grizzgaming, @grizzgaming on Twitter and Instagram, as well as GrizzliesGaming on Facebook to follow along with the team’s 2020 season.
About the NBA 2K League
The NBA 2K League, a professional esports league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO), launched in 2018 and features the best NBA 2K players in the world. Each of the league’s 23 teams features six players who compete as unique characters in 5-on-5 play against the other teams in a mix of regular-season games, tournaments and playoffs. NBA 2K League partners include Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Champion Athleticwear, Facebook, GameStop, HyperX, Panera Bread, Raynor Gaming, SCUF Gaming, Snickers, Stance, Twitch and YouTube. For more information about the NBA 2K League, visit NBA2KLeague.com.