Was the Phoenix Suns Devin Booker or the mouse and a video game giant the NBA 2K Players Tournament Champion?

(ESPN Headquarters Los Angeles/Wikimedia Commons)

Devon Booker wins the first NBA 2K Players Tournament donating his $100,000 prize money to Direct Relief and the Arizona Food Bank Network. But the tournament prize money donation from ESPN and 2K Sports is less than what the two companies profit from event.

Last years installment of NBA 2K19 micro transactions including virtual currency, add-ons and downloadable content earned over $313.5 million dollars alone, according to gamespot.com. And for every commercial during the tournament played on ESPN, the Disney owned company earns $100-$300 for standard viewing times or over $2,000 for prime time viewings, according to legalzoom.com.

So for every 50-100 commercials on standard viewing times can add up to $100,000 profit or 50 commercials for prime time advertisement spots.

Every day in 2019 NBA 2K19 profited $858,904.11 alone in micro transactions. According to Forbes, NBA 2K20 is the second highest selling game in 2019. Selling over 8 million units in its first six months.

So this tournament had some great moments and drama, but does it help efforts fighting against the coronavirus or does it profit these mega corporations, like 2K gaming and Disney. This tournament is gaining new players to the game, earning the gaming company more money and ESPN more viewership.

It feels like a quick way to gain good business, while the two companies are trying to make themselves look good. There are more players alone, who make less money per year in the NBA than those giant companies and are giving more than $100,000 for coronavirus relief and to their respective cities.

Anthony Davis, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers announced a partnership with Lineage Logistics that will help Staple Center workers find work while the NBA is suspended. And the partnership will match up to $250,000 in donations for Feed the Frontlines in LA, which is an organization that aims to raise money to purchase food from local restraunts to deliver it to hospital workers.

Cleveland Cavalier Kevin Love became the first player in the league to donate $100,000 to event staff and the team followed with taking care of all hourly staff pay will under NBA suspension.

Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns donated $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to help aid coronavirus testing.

And Utah Jazz, Rudy Golbert, the first NBA player to test positive for coronavirus in the NBA is donating $500,000 to the fight. $200,000 will go to families impacted by the virus in Utah and Oklahoma City and 100,000 euros will go to his native home France.

For these players that are giving back to their respective communities and co workers, feel more genuine than setting up ESPN spectacle event, with commercials from Reese’s or Nabisco or 2K Sports getting free advertisement of their game throughout every minute of tournament. Who is the real winner of this tournament, sure doesn’t feel like Devin Booker or a coronavirus related charity.

A HORSE competition starts airing Sunday at 4PM PST on ESPN. State Farm Insurance is donating $200,000 to a coronavirus related charity of the winners choice. Including 8 participants old and new NBA and WNBA stars such as Trae Young, Chris Paul, Allie Quigley, Paul Pierce and more.

Another interesting tournament, but will these mega companies like Disney match or donate their profits earned from events like this to charity along with State Farm or generate more cash into their own pockets.

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