Well, the Knicks did it. They brought the championship to New York. Who’ve would’ve thought that? Is this some odd science fiction story of a parallel timeline? No, it’s the new league to hit digital sports, NBA 2k 5 on 5. Haven’t heard about this $300,000 tournament and the storied history of this season? Well buckle up, cause we are gonna break it down in a way where perhaps everybody will give this new style of competitive gaming a chance at viewership.

Well it begins at the base level of the game itself. It should appeal to plain basketball fans as it’s a great representation of the actual sport of basketball. And in the gaming world, I don’t expect everybody be interested in it. But I do know alot of fans of the game and ones that I’m sure wouldn’t be against being able to make a little money. And that I believe is a failure of the companies attitudes toward competitive gaming for so long. It seemed almost as if since it was giving money back to the customers, and were not very interested in doing that. The technology has existed for awhile to be able to set up money tournaments at a local level or just in online altogether.

And in that, I guess, is my apology to the community that hasn’t had much interest in professional or competitive gaming. I am beginning to recognize more and more that the blame really lays more on the companies. The people with the money either didn’t want to give it back in any way, or just made it so select and elite that it felt unattainable by most. And who really growing up wants to watch something that seems alien and almost like Nirvana and the real calling. But has absolutely no way to go about attaining it. I mean you are raised with the information about how you can join the NFL and NBA even if you have no interest in doing so. Meanwhile, the “sport” you want to be a part of is either openly mocked or is across the ocean or some city you’re nowhere near.

It’s discouraging, beyond the lack of tv appearance and just overall dislike by mainstream. And you would think objectively, these people, would embrace a competition that transcends international barriers and allows people no matter sex, age, race, disability, any of those, all people have the possibility to compete. There’s no “Girls League” and I would be sad if one had to be developed. In this day and age it would be just as bad if a people decided they had to form a “black league” because they felt general disinterest in them being allowed. No, here all can come and compete.

But I will step down from my pulpit, and discuss this years NBA 2k league. I will not lie, I’ve only been catching up with it myself and missed the entire season. But in reading and watching the videos, it’s got that same feel that college ball does. That fast paced, offense on offense type of game. The final buzzer is all that matters. It can get pretty hairy. If you haven’t seen any of the videos and like either the game or just basketball check it out. It’ll actually get you into the feel, I guarantee it. But, you say, “as you said before, it’s just some random league that I have no possibility in joining.” This is where we can fill in the gaps.

The NBA draws not just from a draft, but also from minor league teams and across the ocean. It’s only about who is the best. And those players move up in the ranks. So why don’t we do the same thing? Or companies start fronting these small town tournaments and leagues? Obviously, the super rich professionals think theres money to be made. So shouldn’t we jump on that bandwagon? I believe if people begin to communicate these ideas to the NBA and start the process of partnering. We can actually see these competitions at a local level. I have noticed even in my small town the local game store is actually successful and have noticed that across the country the market is there, it just needs the companies with the money to support it.

Hopefully, in the near future, the company that I work with, capitolunderground.biz are going to bring NBA 2k and work on an actual partnership. Either with the NBA or the Washington Wizards themselves. Think about it, you’re sitting playing NBA 2k for a couple hundred bucks and in walks scouts from the big leagues. It’s got Hollywood movie all over it. (Note to self: Movie title idea “Keys To Greatness”)

And that brings up one more small point that I want to address. Have you ever noticed how they pump up pro gamers as some unattainable super gamer that is unbeatable to us common mortals. Thats not how teams work. Not every gamer in the pro’s are the Michael Jordan of gaming. And I believe having this mystique around them is no longer helping the sport but actually hindering from being approachable to fans. I mean, everybody has the potential of throwing a football around so its only through alot of training and hard work do you get to the level of professional. But still attainable. Gaming isn’t like that now. It’s as if the select gifted are the only ones allowed to compete and if you weren’t blessed into the pro gamer caste at childhood you have no chance. And that sucks. That’s not something I’m really that interested in. It’s like everyday gamers are all Batman lovers, and professional gaming and gamers are all Superman lovers. People want to watch and be interested in something that they can see themselves doing.

So hopefully, as this boulder keeps rolling forward it will pick up speed. And the fans will fill the seats, and gamers come from all areas and smaller tournaments and leagues. It’s honestly something that isn’t that complicated if you just use other professional leagues as an example. And you believe you can make a difference. I just hope to see more pro leagues popping up. I mean, one can take solace in the fact that all major professional sports had a slow grind upward to become part of the mainstream. So there is always hope.