How an Elite Group of eSport Ballers Got to Play in NBA 2K
*By Mike Teich*
Top video game players finally have a path to becoming pro-gamers and a shot at $1 million in prizes, said Brendan Donohue, the managing director of the NBA 2K League.
The league is a video game competition organized by the makers of the NBA 2K game and the National Basketball Association. As esports have risen in popularity, competitions like this one give gamers a chance to cash in on their talents. First-round picks in the inaugural draft can earn $35,000 for six months of play.
The pay may not stack up against actual NBA salaries, but NBA 2K League players are excited about their earnings and the progress esports have made over the past 14 months, said Donohue.
More than half of the pro hoops teams are participating in the first season of the NBA 2K League as partners. The teams built their e-rosters through a draft on April 4. A total of 72,000 video game players qualified for the league, with 102 making the final cut.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/inaugural-season-for-nba-2k-league).
It was 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicked off on four major betting operating platforms Saturday. This comes at an exciting time for sports fans with some of the biggest NFL games of the season right around the corner. Cam Rogers - Host of Lock It In with Cam Rogers, Betting Analyst at the Bleav Podcast Network joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Take-Two Interactive is set to buy Zynga for $12.7 billion. The deal marks the latest blockbuster acquisition in the video game industry. The massive deal will bring the maker of popular mobile games like 'Farmville' and 'Words with Friends' under the scope of Take-Two, the company behind 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'NBA 2K.' Kenny Rovello, President & Co-Founder of Arkadium, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The United States purchased over 600,000 doses of a monoclonal antibody treatment from Glaxosmithkline and Vir Biotechnology, bringing the total worldwide doses purchased to 1.7 million. This comes as the country attempts to ramp up treatment options as cases of the omicron variant continue to surge. Dr. Asha Shah, Director of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Health joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
GameStop is getting into the NFT and crypto space. The video game retailer announced the launch of an entire division aimed at creating a marketplace for NFTs and other crypto partnerships. The move comes as part of a turnaround plan by GameStop which has struggled in recent years as gamers shift away from physical game releases. Patrick McConlogue, CEO, Overline & Former Citadel Investment Group Engineer joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
Meta's request to have a Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit dismissed was rejected by a federal judge. Prosecutors presented enough evidence in their latest filing to go forward with the case accusing the tech giant of operating a social networking monopoly through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Mario Stefanidis, Vice President of Research at Roundhill Investments, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to break down the implications of the Take-Two deal to purchase Zynga, as the gaming giant looks to become a major player in mobile gaming.
Investors were on edge on Monday following bitcoin plummeting below the $40,000 dollar mark, hit its lowest price since September. The world's largest crypto has had months of hot and cold streaks, hitting a record high of $69,000 just months earlier in November. The latest drop now has analysts wondering just what 2022 will have in store for bitcoin and crypto as a whole.
Budd White, Chief Product Officer at Tacen explains what’s next for bitcoin and what other cryptos should be on the lookout for.
