INDIANAPOLIS — The NBA 2K League is relocating its in-person competition to Indianapolis, leaving behind the New York City studio that had been its primary home since launching five years ago.
Much of the league’s early action was hosted at the 115-seat venue in Long Island City, with occasional tournaments in other cities. The coronavirus pandemic forced the league into remote play for much of 2020 and 2021.
The league will continue with some remote competitions but will also host teams at its new NBA 2K League Studio at The Pavilion at Pan Am beginning April 20. The studio features two stages, allowing for simultaneous gameplay that the league believes will better serve its online broadcasts. Fans will be able to attend, but the league says it isn’t announcing ticket information yet.
“We are thrilled to get back to our live studio experience in the heart of downtown Indianapolis — a city overflowing with passionate basketball fans and known for putting on some of the biggest events in American sports,” NBA 2K League president Brendan Donohue said. “The NBA 2K League is proud to call Indianapolis our home for the 2022 season.”
The league’s 24 teams are all operated by NBA teams, with the exception of Shanghai’s Gen.G Tigers, which have been based out of the University of Kentucky’s state-of-the-art esports space amid the pandemic.