Esports broadcast and content company LetsPlay.Live has announced a partnership with NBL Oz Gaming, the esports branch of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
As a result of the deal, the two parties will join forces to host a series of NBA 2K24 tournaments for cash prizes and a chance to earn an NBA 2K League contract for NBL Oz Gaming.
From October 13th-22nd, LetsPlay.Live will host the tournaments aiming to cultivate talent to join the NBL Oz Gaming team, which joined the NBA 2K League in October 2022. In addition to an opportunity to win a contract, players can compete in 3v3 and 5v5 competitions featuring a total prize pool of AUD$8000 (~£4167).
The top eight teams from the 5v5 qualifiers will compete against eight invited teams in a double-elimination bracket to determine the eventual winner. The 3v3 competition will use a single-elimination bracket.
This isn’t the first time the NBL has utilised grassroots tournaments to attract aspiring talent. In 2022, it hosted the NBA 2K League Australian Invitational to find its inaugural player, Hary Spierings.
For LetsPlay.Live, partnering with the NBL is another addition to its ever-expanding roster of partners. In September 2023, the company partnered with game developer KRAFTON to host a PUBG: Battlegrounds tournament for the APAC region.
Duane Mutu, Managing Director of LetsPlay.Live, spoke on the deal: “It is an incredible honour to work with NBL Oz Gaming to bring professional esports opportunities to console gamers.
“As a lifelong basketball player and fan, it is personally a very exciting event to be involved with. NBL Oz Gaming is the premier provider of NBA 2K esports in the Oceania region and has had amazing success. The fact that NBL Oz Gaming has its own dedicated esports division is an excellent indicator that the players and audience are in abundance.”
