The Sacramento Kings plan to build a dedicated esports arena inside the Golden 1 Center in preparation for the NBA 2K League, the team announced Thursday.
The facility will include a training area, broadcast center and gamer lounge to be used by the Kings' 2K League team, according to a media release. The Kings' future gaming squads would also occupy the space, according to the team, suggesting that there will be a continued investment in esports beyond NBA 2K.
"Using technology to engage with our fans and reach new audiences has always been core to our organization's mission," Kings owner and chairman Vivek Ranadivé said in the statement. "Golden 1 Center is the most advanced arena for basketball, entertainment and esports. This state-of-the-art facility will set a new standard and provide the best-in-class tools that the next generation of superstar gamers need to train, compete and win."
The facility will be fully networked with speeds of up to 200 gbps for low latency game play. Much like other esports broadcast arenas, the King's esports space will host tournaments, with theater-style seating for audience members. The Kings also plan to utilize the Golden 1 Center's 4K ultra HD video screen, the largest screen in the NBA, to broadcast tournaments. There will also be 360-degree camera setups to give viewers online a more immersive virtual-reality experience, according to the team.