Orlando Magic Look To Tap Further Into Brazilian Market With NBA 2K Tournament

The Orlando Magic and their Magic Gaming division are looking to establish deeper roots in Brazil by hosting an NBA 2K tournament, the LG UltraGear Magic Gaming Challenge. The tournament will be held in association with Brazilian-based LG and the 2UP Agency as the Magic, and the NBA, seek to expand their presence in South America. The NBA is considering allowing teams to start bidding on global marketing rights in individual nations, and the Magic seem to have gotten a head start in Brazil, where they already have a large following.

“The Magic always had a good relationship with Brazilians,” said Gabriel Causse, Magic Gaming Business Operations Manager. “A lot of people in Orlando are from Brazil. When you fly from Brazil to Florida you can also get Magic tickets in packages, so there is a great relationship with the tourism point of view. So, when looking at an international outreach for actions and initiatives, we felt like Brazil was No. 1 on our list.”

While there are no Brazilians on the Magic roster, the team currently holds social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram in Portuguese that it operates in association with a Brazilian marketing agency.

The Magic first contacted LG, which put the NBA team in touch with 2UP. LG sponsors the Brazilian organization CNB Esports Club, whose co-founder Cleber Fonseca is also one of the marketing agency’s founders. CNB has deep ties into the Brazilian League of Legends scene, which was appealing to the Magic in creating a partnership with 2UP. Even more appealing to the Magic was how CNB has a tradition of revealing new esports talent, which is something the NBA team wants to do with its 2K initiative.

The NBA last spring began to take advantage of the big gaming sector in Brazil, striking a deal with popular Brazilian streamer Alexandre “Gaules” Borba Chiqueta to broadcast NBA games via Twitch. The Magic are similarly looking to take advantage of that approach. “Gaming and basketball in Brazil are growing separately at a tremendous rate, so being able to put both of them together was a great option for us,” said Causse.

(All information was provided by Sports Business Journal)