There we were Saturday in a prime theater spot just west of Broadway as the NBA fourth league began the run for it ’s third season; the NBA 2K League Draft. With the announcement of the first pick by Commissioner Brendan Donahue (and the subsequent annual hijacking of the name by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski five minutes earlier ), one of the more impressive startups in sports or media opened a new chapter.
The event had all the amazing bells and whistles that only the NBA could do. Senior staff, well dressed, well messaged young talent taking the stage, a full house, the requisite logo’ed hat handoff, a smattering of celebrity and basketball luminaries, some hip hop music and a great amount of drama and content all streamed live for close to three hours for the four rounds.
How does the NBA 2K League keep working and growing? Here are some thoughts as to why.
The Messaging Was Clear: It’s GAMING The Teams Are Buying Into, Not Professional Esports: one of the best points driven home is that NBA 2K is part of the billion dollar world of gaming. That means it can be played on any device, although a console is still best and what will be used by the participating and growing number of teams. That casual gaming message is important to distinguish as the sports business world still goes gaga over what esports is and what it isn’t. This is a game with a big following of fans of basketball, which means a causal audience gets the content right away, there is no explanation. Fans of the NBA, just like fans of soccer with FIFA or even fans of the NFL with MADDEN, will understand what is going on with NBA2K. There is no learning curve, and for casual adoption that is key.
Now that’s not to say that there is somewhat of a mix, both on the team ownership side (list of teams who have invested in professional esports) and on the fan engagement side. But by calling this gaming, there was an easy buy in from both the esports world and the traditional sports world that the leadership understands clearly the WHAT and is clear on knowing the difference.
The Players Have Great Stories: One of the missing ingredients still in professional esports is that lack of player storytelling. There are many reasons for this to date in the US, some of which are age, language and cultural, but the NBA2K Draftees clearly have relatable stories that can be told both nationally and in market. The Draft unveiled a very human and quite humorous narrative that was refreshing and probably surprising to many in the room; there come from all walks of life, all being given the chance to chase and now fulfill a dream; albeit one being playing pro video games. While there is no doubt these guys, and now some women, are serious and have played through to be the best of the best, they were smart, well dressed, well messaged and very, very authentic. The casual fan can relate, and even the elite players in the NBA, can probably appreciate.
They Are In Market, Making The Players A True Asset To The Teams: Unlike other esports investments where all the teams are being housed and are playing in one distant site (although Overwatch is testing some city specific events this year), the 2K teams are living and training in the cities of the franchises they represent. That presents a great marketing opportunity for teams, especially at a time of year when most NBA players are dialing down their appearances as playoffs (or offseason) loom, to reengage with fans; not just fans of gaming but of the team. Getting these new, buzzworthy personalities out and about in the community to tell the brand story not just of what they are doing but of what the team and the league is doing, is a boon to brand. From school visits (the players are as diverse as those of the NBA) to other cross promotions, the players are a great reintroduction of the brand to an established marketplace and the best part is, these guys already have built in fan bases that are dedicated to them. It’s not dissimilar form college athletes making the transition to the pro ranks; those fans of their college days can both relate, and will probably translate over, to their new found teams and teammates.
It’s Experimental Experiential: The NBA has been great at using its other properties as a litmus test for viability. Want to see how live streaming with Twitch works? Start at the GLeague and now pull in NBA 2K. have some brands who are digital first and can’t afford the lofty NBA price? Let’s create deals around 2K. Want to better test or engage with a global fan base? NBA 2K is an interesting place to start. How about virtual gifting or currency? NBA 2K is a digital native dream to try those things. Virtual ad insertions? Don’t mess with your broadcast partners, how about seeing what it looks like in NBA 2K. On and on will the opportunities go.
The Players Play: FIFA has had great success with clubs using the game as a way to better connect and engage with their elite players. Could the skills of the best 2K players actually help the real NBA players on strategy? Not that crazy, or expensive a proposition.
Growing Revenue Streams: As teams search for new streams of revenue, 2K provides new areas and are growing both as teams sell sponsorships and the league attaches to brands looking to engage (case in point Panera bread sponsoring Saturday’s draft) those streams; as young digital natives grow up watching more NBA 2K they become bigger fans and are more apt to watch games for life. As teams expand merch opportunities for their new partners, more dollars flow in. As sponsors look for a different ROI, a low cost digital first opportunity with a base already in the MILLIONS globally, is now in the offing.
Now there are issues…female participants is a slow rise but is coming , the turnover of any startup, and the varying levels of commitment franchises will put into it, and you have bumps still in year three.
However one cannot underestimate the power of the NBA to grow relevancy and outline opportunities for success for startup properties, as well as the belief amongst the casual fan and the hardcore business mind that the NBA seems to be the disrupter in a professional sports space that embraces status quo, and the fact that continued partner Take 2 Interactive has already cultivated the gaming space and built a global audience of users and say this is a whim.
What NBA 2K League in year three is a really smart gauge of the global sports business environment, a cost effective hedge on the turning tide of sports engagement, and a leadership position set by a property that always seems to be two steps ahead of most of the world.
Is NBA 2K League for everyone? No. Will it succeed in continue to grow its own niche and narrative with measured success ? Definitely worth a shot.
