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For NBA 2K fans in high school, it’s officially your time to shine. After a partnership between Publisher 2K and Black-owned esports company PlayVS, the popular basketball video game is on its way to becoming a high school varsity esport in the U.S. and Canada, Forbes reports. In the spring, NBA 2K will be added to PlayVS for gamers to begin their online matches. Keeping in mind the reality that everyone doesn’t have the ability to play contact sports, the new partnership aims to provide more inclusivity for students, along with helping to improve attendance, grades and graduation rates — even as far as eventually competing at collegiate and professional levels. “Bringing NBA 2K, one of the most highly demanded titles among our player base, to high schools across the country is a monumental opportunity in scholastic esports,” PlayVS founder and CEO Delane Parnell said in a statement. “Since the founding of PlayVS, it has been our vision to grow esports opportunities at the high...
Technology can serve as a game-changer across various industries. But when it comes to sports, PlayVS CEO Delane Parnell knows firsthand that it can take things to a new level if used correctly. This week’s Black Tech Green Money episode is a blast from the past and features a conversation held with Parnell alongside Blavity CEO Morgan DeBaun during AfroTech 2019. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AfroTech (@afro.tech)
PlayVS, the startup bringing esports leagues to high schoolers, has raised $50 million in its Series C funding round. The Santa Monica-based company gained heavy traction last year when it raised $15 million and $30 million in consecutive funding rounds. Parents may see Fortnite, NBA 2K and other hit games as a distraction to their kids, but video games are opening opportunities for teenagers that previous generations can only imagine. At least 20 colleges and universities in the U.S. now have varsity esports teams and PlayVS wants to get high schoolers ready for the leagues. Institutions like Hampton University are also building out curriculums to offer esports as a concentration. The esports market is set to hit a market value of more than $1 million this year and companies like PlayVS could ensure that the industry is lucrative for years to come. PlayVS is a platform looking to regulate high school esports, providing structure to an otherwise loosely controlled gaming...
Esports are the next wave — and they’re about to be even bigger and more accessible thanks to PlayVS (which is pronounced “play versus”) receiving $15 million in Series A funding. “In the beginning, our goal wasn’t even necessarily to advocate for video games,” says Delane Parnell, Founder of PlayVS, “We looked at the current landscape and realized there was a huge gap in the market. There are millions of amateur gamers out there who want to compete. The most important demographic within this segment is high schoolers. Until now, there was no way for them to actually compete. We are going to provide that venue in a supervised, safe environment that makes them part of something larger.” PlayVS is an online portal that helps students, administrators and recruiters connect where matches are set and scheduled and statistics are tracked to help regulate high school esports. PlayVS began by partnering with the National Federation of High School Associations to build out the high school...