eSports
NBA 2K League to Tip Off 2020 Season with Remote Gameplay Beginning Tuesday, May 5
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 will participate in regular-season gameplay from their local markets with games simulcast live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
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 .
Below please find the 2020 NBA 2K League start-of-season schedule:
- 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
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blacklyte
Team Vitality names Blacklyte as new gaming chair partner
Team Vitality has partnered with Blacklyte as its new gaming chair partner, with a rollout planned across the organisation’s teams and physical locations.
Under the agreement, Blacklyte chairs and desks will be deployed across Team Vitality rosters including CS2, Rocket League, VALORANT, LEC, LFL, Rising Bees, Tekken 8, Teamfight Tactics, and Age of Empires II. The equipment will also be installed at facilities including the club’s Paris headquarters (V.Hive), its locations at the Stade de France, and in Berlin.
The companies said the partnership will include co-design work on a “new generation of chairs and desks” aimed at improving playing environments. A co-branded Blacklyte x Team Vitality product line is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2026.
“We are very happy to collaborate with Blacklyte and welcome them to Team Vitality’s partner family. This partnership comes at a historic time for the club on Counter-Strike, alongside the arrival of new flagship rosters, and more broadly reflects our ambition to keep raising our standards in both performance and innovation. Together, we are building environments that enable our players to fully express their potential at the highest level,” explains Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.
“Team Vitality is one of the most respected names in global esports, and we are excited to collaborate to create this new era of gaming furniture. We will develop a new gaming ecosystem that empowers Team Vitality athletes to train in setups that enhance their playstyles while being supported and stylish,” says Blacklyte CEO Alex Liu. “Blacklyte products have always been at the forefront of redefining performance equipment in esports, and this partnership is a natural step to continue that mission.”
The post Team Vitality names Blacklyte as new gaming chair partner appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Team Vitality partners with Team Havok to expand in Fortnite
Team Vitality has signed a strategic partnership with French Fortnite esports club Team Havok, expanding its footprint in the title as part of its broader diversification strategy. The announcement was made this weekend.
Under the deal, Team Havok will compete as “Team Havok by Vitality” and wear a co-branded jersey featuring Team Vitality’s logo. Team Vitality said the partnership is designed to combine its performance and organisational support with Team Havok’s Fortnite competitive presence.
Team Havok’s recent results cited by the organisations include winning European Major 2 in 2025, finishing runner-up at the World Championship, and ranking as the second-best European team. The duo Tjino and PabloWingu have qualified for this summer’s Esports World Cup and will compete in Team Vitality’s black and yellow colours.
Team Vitality also positioned the partnership as a fan development play in France via co-streaming, content creation, and influencer-led activations. Team Havok co-founders and streamers ZetFar and WaZz were highlighted for their reach with younger audiences.
The organisation said the tie-up follows prior structural collaborations including PSG Esports and Bigetron Esports, and could expand into Fortnite map development, exclusive merchandising, and influencer marketing. “This partnership with Team Havok reflects our ambition to work with the best in order to continue growing Team Vitality. Their performance, creativity, and ability to engage the French community make them an ideal partner,” said Fabien “Neo” Devide, President and Co-founder of Team Vitality. “We are incredibly proud to join Team Vitality. This collaboration with such a prestigious organisation marks a new milestone in the story we are building with our community,” said Grimz, caster at Team Havok.
The post Team Vitality partners with Team Havok to expand in Fortnite appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Esports Foundation Appoints More Than 700 Game Coaches for the Inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has confirmed the appointment of over 700 game coaches representing the National Team Partners (NTPs) from more than 100 nations and territories for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh from November 2-29, 2026. The announcement marks the start of team roster selections, due by May 10, with coaches now responsible for identifying players, defining team strategy and building competitive lineups.
Drawn from more than 90 leading esports organisations across the globe, the group of coaches spans world champions, established leaders and rising stars building local scenes, connecting team development directly to the highest level of global competition. The list of National Team Coaches is available on the ENC website.
The coaching pool, from seasoned veterans who have faced each other on the biggest stages to a new generation of coaches looking to make their mark, reflects the breadth of global esports. In League of Legends, LEC stalwart and G2 Esports coach Dylan Falco (Canada) will take on rising coaching stars like Quentin “Zeph” Viguié (France) and Jonas “Memento” Elmarghichi (Morocco). In Rocket League, the Netherlands’ Jos “ViolentPanda” van Meurs brings a world-championship legacy, while the youngest coach in the field, Abdulrahman Saad “d7oom-24” Bin Fayez, age 22, will lead a strong contender in Saudi Arabia.
Fans will also see international appointments across borders, including Swedish legend Fabian “Fabian” Hällsten coaching the United States’ Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege team alongside Brazil’s Guilherme “gohaN” Alf coaching Indonesia.
The appointments also highlight a growing group of women coaches who will be shaping teams throughout the world. In PUBG MOBILE, Camila “Mia” López (Chile), a professional manager, analyst and coach, brings experience from the global mobile circuit, while Nikol “Kehayoyo” Kehayova will look to lead Poland. In other game titles, Sabrina “SYA” Starke (Germany) heads up Honor of Kings and Angela “Kaylio” Sun Zhou (Australia) steps in for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, while in VALORANT Felicia “Felly” Cersac (Moldova) and Syeda “Skel” Samman (Pakistan) will lead teams from emerging esports markets.
“The Esports Nations Cup is being built step by step, and appointing team coaches is the next critical layer in that structure. If teams are what make esports intuitive for a mainstream audience, coaches are what make them credible for players and fans. They bring identity, direction, and standards to each team. With more than 700 coaches now in place across over 100 National Team Partners, we’re turning the idea of nation-based competition into something people can understand instantly and believe in — a system that is structured, real, and ready to perform on the world stage,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation.
Coaches from the remaining nations and territories, including the ones without an NTP, will be announced at a later date. Attention now turns to finalising player selections, as teams take shape ahead of the ENC’s global qualification pathway. Competitors in solo-player games as well as in the remaining team-based titles will be identified through full open qualifiers, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.
The ENC introduces nation-based competition to the global esports calendar in a structured and recurring format. By enabling nations and territories to organise teams, develop talent pathways and compete on a global stage, the ENC creates new opportunities for players while strengthening connections between local ecosystems and international competition.
The post Esports Foundation Appoints More Than 700 Game Coaches for the Inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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