Along with many other esports and gaming delays, the NBA 2K League has postponed the start of its upcoming season. The season had been scheduled to begin on March 24, but due to the COVID-19 situation, that has changed. As of yet, there has been no information about its new start date.
Managing Director Brendan Donohue also said a few words about the situation. “The health and well-being of our players, teams, and fans, is of paramount importance.” Additionally, he noted that they look forward to sharing information about the upcoming season as it becomes available.
The NBA 2K League originally planned to host matches in its New York City studio. The season would have started with a Tipoff Tournament on March 24, running until the final games in July. Teams from other locations would participate in home games.
NBA 2K League Postpones Start of 2020 Season pic.twitter.com/U2BC2bUqyF
— NBA 2K League (@NBA2KLeague) March 12, 2020
Unfortunately, many fans have shown disappointment in the way the League has handled this. A number of gamers have responded to the tweet, with many noting that games could have continued with the use of servers rather than being postponed. Others, though, mentioned how unreliable NBA 2K’s servers can be.
New York City severely affected
The League’s decision seems reasonable, though, in light of the effect the coronavirus is having on New York. Currently, COVID-19 has taken the city by storm. As of March 12, the city has 328 confirmed cases, and the number of cases continues to increase each day as testing slowly becomes available. Additionally, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo banned large gatherings of over 500 people in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.
Due to the extreme measures being taken, the NBA 2K League has erred on the side of caution until further notice. It’s not alone – the current global situation has affected many esports organizations and events. A few of these include the cancellation of Dreamhack Tours 2020, the Smash World Tour delay, and more.
Stick with Daily Esports for more news on the COVID-19 situation as more updates on esports delays and cancellations become available.
