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NBA 2K League starts May 5th with six weeks of remote matches
While pro sports are still trying to figure out when they might be able to restart action, the NBA's esports league has set up a new schedule based around remote matches, which will start on May 5th.
NBA and Microsoft plan personalized, AI-powered game streaming
Microsoft and the NBA are teaming up to deliver personalized game broadcasts that use machine learning and AI to learn fans’ preferences. To start, they’ll broadcast live and on-demand games via Microsoft Azure and add personalized real-time stats overlays.
NBA 2K tournament starts Friday with Kevin Durant, Trae Young and more
Confirming yesterday's leak, the NBA announced an esports tournament that will kick off this Friday, with games broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2. The NBA 2K Players Tournament will pit 16 current NBA players against one another, with finals scheduled to take place April 11th and air on ESPN. The winner will select a charity beneficiary to receive $100,000 in support of coronavirus relief efforts.
The NBA's esports league postpones 2020 season due to coronavirus
Just a day after two NBA players tested positive for COVID-19 and the league announced it would suspend activities for at least thirty days, its esports arm followed suit. The NBA 2K League will postpone the start of its season, which was planned for March 24th. Of course, unlike the real game, esports can be played online and the league said in a statement that "in the coming weeks" it will hold preseason competitions remotely. According to NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue, "We will continue to evaluate the situation and do everything possible to bring the excitement of the NBA 2K League to our fans through remote preseason exhibitions and other content. We look forward to sharing additional information about these exhibitions and the start of the 2020 season as it becomes available."
NCAA cancels March Madness over coronavirus pandemic
The NCAA will not crown a basketball champion this year. Just one day after it said it would restrict attendance at upcoming Division 1 men's and women's basketball tournaments, the NCAA has officially cancelled those events, as well as all of its remaining winter and spring championships.
NCAA March Madness games will be played without fans
Precautions for the coronavirus outbreak are about to radically affect how many people watch college sports. The NCAA is responding to the risks of COVID-19 by restricting attendance at championship events, including Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, to "essential staff" and "limited" family members. You'll have to watch matches either online or on TV, no matter how much of a fan you might be.
March Madness app streams two games side-by-side on Android TV and Fire TV
It's nearly time for the best weekend in sports all year: the start of March Madness. Ahead of the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament, Turner is updating its arsenal of streaming apps for this year's action on the hardwood. And the most notable change is one I've been waiting on for a long time: multiview streaming is no longer exclusive to Apple TV.
Sacramento Kings guests can use 'smart' bottles to pour their own drinks
The Sacramento Kings are fond of using technology as a hook to fill seats, but their latest may be particularly alluring if you're in the position to score premium tickets. The basketball team is using connected bottle tops from NINA that let you pour your own alcohol in a suite or loft. You only have to open a tab, choose what you want to drink and pour until you get the quantity you paid for. This might let you focus more on the game than asking a bartender for more libations.
Nike's new self-lacing basketball shoes go on sale Sunday for $400
Last year Nike applied self-tightening / self-lacing tech to a basketball shoe for the first time with its Adapt BB. Now the Adapt BB 2.0 is ready to go on sale this Sunday as the NBA celebrates All-Star Weekend. The shoes have already been worn in-game by Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant (below) and now you can get your own pair -- if you can stomach the $400 price tag. That's even more than the $350 price of last year's shoes, although they do come with some improvements and is still less than the $720 price of the first HyperAdapt.
EA's 'NBA Live' franchise is out for the season, again
One again, EA's NBA franchise is skipping a season, as the company announced during today's earnings call that NBA Live 20 has been cancelled. Three months ago the project was simply delayed with plans for a "different approach," but that won't be enough. In a prepared statement read at the beginning of the call, CEO Andrew Wilson said the company was working on something timed for release around All-Star Weekend, "an experience designed around new ways for players to engage, connect and create through basketball."
NCAA will allow college athletes to earn money off their likeness
In a departure from a long-standing position, the NCAA has voted to allow student athletes to "benefit" from the use of their likeness. The organization's Board of Governors made the announcement on Tuesday, and said they've instructed all three of the NCAA's divisions to start looking at their relevant bylaws.
Nike will drop exclusive, limited-edition sneakers inside ‘NBA 2K20’
Those of you who are into NBA 2K know that, for years, you've been able to buy sneakers from different brands for your virtual player in the game. But now, thanks to a new partnership between Nike and software publisher 2K Sports, you'll have a chance to get real sneakers for yourself as you're playing NBA 2K20. And they won't just be any kind of shoes -- they're going to be limited edition and exclusive to the popular basketball title. Nike says it will drop 10 "Gamer Exclusives" through NBA 2K20, starting on October 29th, when players will have the opportunity to purchase them by completing in-game challenges.
Verizon's sports arena 5G doesn't reach every seat
Last week, Verizon (Engadget's parent company) bragged about offering 5G coverage in three major basketball and hockey arenas. Turns out there's a pretty big catch. That 5G is only available in some of the seating areas.
Adidas readies an entire collection of Star Wars basketball shoes
If you're both a Star Wars fan and a hypebeast, the next month might a dream come true. Adidas is releasing an entire Star Wars x Adidas collection of basketball shoes starting on November 1st, catering to both your particular fandom and your footwear style in a bid to create buzz for The Rise of Skywalker. There are R2-D2 and Stormtrooper versions of the Nite Jogger, for instance, as well as a Pro Next 2019 with Light Side and Dark Side graphics on each half (above). You can expect more 'generic' Star Wars designs if you don't want to declare particular allegiances, although their bright colors (we've seen blue, green and purple so far) won't be subtle.
Verizon adds 5G coverage to three basketball and hockey arenas
You don't have to watch football if you want 5G coverage from Verizon (Engadget's parent company) while you're attending live sports. The carrier has switched on 5G coverage at three major basketball and hockey arenas, including San Francisco's Chase Center (home of the Golden State Warriors), Denver's Pepsi Center (Colorado Avalanche/Denver Nuggets) and Phoenix's Talking Stick Resort Arena (Phoenix Suns). Madison Square Garden is also on deck, although 5G is only slated as "coming soon."
Nike opens NBA season with YouTube-themed Kevin Durant sneakers
As the 2019-2020 NBA season gets ready to tip off on October 22nd, Nike has unveiled new colors of its signature basketball sneakers for opening week. One of those is the KD12 "YouTube," the latest edition of Kevin Durant's performance shoe that's themed after Google's video service. And while Durant won't make his debut for the Brooklyn Nets until sometime next year, due to a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered last season, Nike wanted to create a design to show his love for YouTube as a way to connect with fans. Durant joined YouTube in 2017, and has since used his channel to post videos about him traveling and meeting people around the world.
'NBA 2K20' will include every WNBA team with full rosters
2K Games has offered some more details on how the WNBA fits into NBA 2K20 when the league joins the long-running series of games for the first time. All 12 WNBA teams will be included, while more than 140 players will make their NBA 2K debuts.
How to stream college sports without losing your mind
Thanks to all the services that let you stream live TV, it's easy to watch sports without a commitment to cable. The channel lineups vary, and some are more limited than others. What's more, the television rights for college sports, especially football, are tied to the conference, so you'll need to find out which channels have the deal covering your favorite schools. From there, it's a matter of making sure the service you choose has all the channels you need so you don't miss a game. Lucky for you, we can help.
Drake sparks hundreds of fake eBay listings for Steph Curry's hair lint
Aubrey Graham, better known to the world as Drake, is basically a human meme. He has this uncanny ability to make people on the internet want to turn anything he does into viral content. Drake also happens to be an ultimate troll. Last night, during game one of the 2019 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors, he exchanged some words with superstar Steph Curry. As that was happening, Drake seemingly took a moment to pull lint out of Curry's hair. That may seem strange, but you should know that Drake has Curry's number tattooed on his arm. Yes, even though he's a Raptors fan. After the game, which the Raptors won, Drake then had an exchange with another Warriors player: Draymond Green, who was on the receiving end of something along the lines of "you're trash."
Jordan's latest sneaker drop is in 'Fortnite'
Fortnite has played host to a dazzling number of themed events, featuring collaborations with some of entertainment's biggest franchises including Avengers: Endgame and John Wick. However, for its latest crossover, Epic Games is teaming up with one of the world's biggest sportswear brands, Jordan, ahead of the NBA Finals on May 30th.
