20 NBA Stars have teamed up with One Up to launch a $1M NBA 2K24 Championship Series. This groundbreaking event continues to open esports to everyone, which is typically limited to the pro level – it’s free and open to the public.
Many pro athletes play video games, so this event allows them to reach a new audience and expand their brand beyond the court.
Gaming is bigger than movies and music combined globally, so this tournament is also lowering the barrier to entry and engaging the millions of 2K fans. The $1 million prize pool is one of the largest for an amateur tournament.
As a background, the blueprint for the $1 million Championship Series evolved during NBA All-Star festivities when the NBA All-Star game was hosted in Cleveland, where One Up managed a tournament hosted by Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball. The four finalists were all flown to Cleveland together on a private jet where they competed for a $25,000 prize pool, and each took home a pair of LaMelo’s Puma MB.01 signature sneakers.
Check out the full press release below:
LOS ANGELES – One Up, a leading on-demand esports company democratizing how video game tournaments and leagues are accessed and organized, announced today that its One Up x NBA® 2K24 Championship Series will tip off on September 23.  This all-new, open-to-the-public competitive gaming challenge will be hosted in collaboration with 20 NBA stars – led by Cade Cunningham, Jamal Murray, Paul George, and Donovan Mitchell – and One Up will award over $1 million in total cash prizes to participating gamers. The inaugural series will be played on the new NBA 2K24, and eligible players can enter the competition for free via the Play One Up mobile app on Apple or Android beginning today.
The news of the million-dollar challenge follows on the heels of One Up being named an official on-demand esports platform for the NBA® 2K franchise. In addition to the competitive tournaments, One Up will deliver original content only available on the mobile app to give fans behind-the-scenes moments with the NBA stars.
“Our partnership with 2K is about lowering the barrier to enter esports competitions as we believe esports should be for all,” said One Up CEO Brandon Pitts. “We are pumped to be one of the first major tournaments for NBA 2K24 across multiple platforms and provide fans of the game the opportunity to compete against others with the chance to win game-changing cash prizes.”
The initial 20 online qualifying tournaments will each be hosted by an NBA star and will take place from September 23 to January 20. From there, the real adventure begins. The top 16 finalists of each qualifier tournament will earn $20,000, while the 16 runners-up will earn $4,000 each, and 3rd and 4th place will earn $500 each. The top 16 finalists will advance to compete in an online tournament on February 3-4. These final four will be flown to Miami to compete in the One Up x NBA® 2K24 Championship, taking place on February 15. Among the 16 finalists, the winner will earn $250,000, 2nd place will take home $100,000, 3rd and 4th place $50,000 each, and 5th through 8th $25,000 each. All along this journey, players will meet their NBA heroes.
In addition to the main tournament, additional NBA players will host exhibition matches, each with a $10,000 prize pool, with the winner earning $8,000, 2nd place $1,000, and 3rd and 4th place $500 each. Fans can compete in both the exhibitions and qualifiers on a first-come, first-serve registration.
One Up x NBA® 2K24 Championship Series QUALIFIER schedule with the featured NBA star host:
- 9/23 – Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers
- 9/30 –Â Paul George – LA Clippers
- 10/7 – Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets
- 10/14 – Cade Cunningham – Detroit Pistons
- 10/21 – Deandre Ayton – Phoenix Suns
- 10/28 –Â Â Khris Middleton – Milwaukee Bucks
- 11/4 –Â John Collins – Utah Jazz
- 11/11 –Â Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves
- 11/18 –Â Seth Curry – Dallas Mavs
- 11/25 –Â Patrick Beverley – Philadelphia 76ers
- 12/2 –Â Anfernee Simons – Portland Trail Blazers
- 12/9 –Â Terry Rozier – Charlotte Hornets
- 12/30 – Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks
- 1/6 – Brandon Ingram – New Orleans Pelicans
- 1/13 – Mike Conley, Jr. – Minnesota Timberwolves
- 1/20 – Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
One Up x NBA® 2K23 Championship Series EXHIBITION schedule with the featured NBA host::
- 10/11 – Dorian Finney-Smith – Brooklyn Nets
- 11/1 –Â Andre Drummond – Chicago Bulls
- 11/22 –Â Andrew Wiggins – Golden State Warriors
- 12/13 – De’Anthony Melton – Philadelphia 76ers
To qualify for the One Up x NBA® 2K24 Championship Series, participants must be residents of the U.S. and D.C. (excluding Arizona) and be 13 years or older, must have a valid One Up account, have access to NBA 2K24 on PS5 or Xbox X/S, have internet access and access to a PSN ID with the PS Plus Service or an Xbox X/S with a gamertag and the Xbox Gold service. Participants will log in to their Play One Up account on iOS or Android, click on the “NBA 2K” community icon, and follow the prompts to register. Eligible players may participate in one or more of the sixteen (16) qualifying tournaments that begin on September 23, 2023, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time. Registration for the qualifying tournaments is available beginning September 14, 2023, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. Registration for each qualifier tournament will close one (1) hour prior to the start time.
