NBA, Take-Two Extend Gaming Partnership With Joint Media Venture

• NBA and Take-Two Interactive have extended their long-running partnership and launched NBA Take-Two Media, a joint venture for competitive gaming events, social media content, and live programming.

• The expanded deal now includes the NBA G League and USA Basketball, building on a collaboration that began in 1999.

• The NBA 2K franchise remains a major success, with NBA 2K25 selling over 7M copies since October 2024 and the series surpassing 150M copies sold globally.

The National Basketball Association and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. have agreed to extend their lucrative gaming partnership for multiple years and launch a joint media venture, cementing one of the sports industry's most successful digital collaborations as both organizations seek to capitalize on the growing intersection of sports and gaming.

The expanded deal covers Take-Two's 2K publishing label and extends the partnership to include the NBA G League and USA Basketball, broadening the scope of the relationship that has generated significant revenue for both parties since 1999. The companies will launch NBA Take-Two Media, a joint venture focused on competitive gaming events, social media content and live programming designed to deepen fan engagement beyond traditional gaming.

The partnership extension comes as the NBA 2K franchise continues to demonstrate strong commercial performance. NBA 2K25, released in October 2024, has sold more than 7 million copies, according to Take-Two's second-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings report. The franchise has moved over 150 million copies worldwide, establishing itself as one of the top-selling sports simulation games globally and a critical revenue driver for Take-Two's publishing operations.

"We are immensely pleased to continue our longstanding, highly successful partnership with the NBA and the NBPA and look forward to building upon the record-setting achievements that we have accomplished together," said Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two's chairman and chief executive, in a statement.

The deal represents a strategic bet by both organizations on the continued convergence of traditional sports and digital entertainment. The NBA has increasingly positioned itself as a technology-forward league, investing heavily in streaming, social media and gaming initiatives to reach younger demographics who consume sports content differently than previous generations.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the partnership's role in fan acquisition, stating that "NBA 2K has engaged a new generation of basketball fans in an increasingly digital world. By expanding our partnership and creating NBA Take-Two Media, we look forward to building on the incredible success of the NBA 2K franchise."

The gaming industry has become increasingly important to major sports leagues as traditional television viewership faces pressure from cord-cutting and changing media consumption habits. Sports simulation games provide leagues with year-round engagement opportunities and additional revenue streams beyond broadcast deals and ticket sales.

Take-Two's NBA franchise has evolved significantly since debuting on the Sega Dreamcast console, expanding across multiple platforms including personal computers and all major gaming consoles. The partnership has weathered various industry changes, including the rise of mobile gaming and the emergence of esports as a legitimate competitive category.

However, not all digital initiatives have succeeded. The NBA 2K League, launched in 2018 as part of the esports expansion, fell short of expectations and entered an 18-month hiatus following its 2024 season. Neither organization has announced when competitive play will resume, highlighting the challenges of translating gaming success into sustainable esports properties.

The new joint venture signals both parties' commitment to exploring additional monetization opportunities within the gaming ecosystem, potentially including live events, content creation and expanded merchandise opportunities tied to the digital franchise.