Cleveland’s NBA 2K League franchise has plans to not only provide its players with a new Cavs Legion GC training facility, but grow the entire brand.
On Thursday, Cavs Legion GC announced to open an esports center in the Battery Park neighborhood this fall. The 2,700-square-foot venue will not only serve as the practice facility for the NBA 2K League team but will be open to the public as well.
Included in the amenities are a competition stage capable of accommodating 6-on-6 gameplay set against a 16-feet-long by 5-feet-high video wall, an analysts’ area, a broadcast studio and 40 gaming stations. The equipment and hardware features brands like Alienware, Everstream, GE, Raynor, SteelSeries and WebAround.
The obvious application of the event space is hosting tournaments, and with the connection to the NBA 2K League, the natural conversation is whether the new facility could bring a tournament in the league’s third season to Cleveland. Cavs Legion GC told DIMER that no conversations have been had to that end yet.
If that were to happen, it would be the smallest venue to host a 2K League in-season tournament yet. The Fortress in Orlando, Fla., is over 11,000 square feet while the Hyper-X Arena in Las Vegas boasts over 30,000 square feet. The relatively small size of the facility could be an obstacle for arranging in-season tournaments.
The design and size of the space points to a creative and local emphasis rather than a spectator experience. Cavs Legion GC told DIMER it will always explore new ways to activate the space and that more corporate partners are coming.
The amenities are ideal for content creation, so expect Cavs Legion to ramp that up when the venue is finished. Cavs Legion GC has spent a considerable amount of money to design and improve the space, looking at it as an investment.
That investment will pay off with growth in the Cleveland esports community on a scale grander than just NBA 2K. Though it’s an ideal space for Cavs Legion to host more 2K events like scout nights and youth camps, gamers using the facility to play other titles like Fortnite along with streaming their content will be tremendous publicity for the venue in the area.
The space is an essential tool for building Cavs Legion GC’s local fan base among the broader esports community in Cleveland along with pulling in new fans who aren’t familiar with esports. When Cavs Legion GC opens up its third season, it will have that tool available for use.
