Pacers Gaming

Last updated
Pacers Gaming
Pacers Gaming logo.jpg
Sport
Founded2017
ColorsNavy blue, gold, cool gray
   
Partners Indiana National Guard
Parent groupPacers Sports & Entertainment
Website pacersgaming.nba.com

Pacers Gaming is an esports team that competed in the NBA 2K League (NBA 2KL or 2KL) from 2018 to 2024. They are a venture of Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E), which owns the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)'s Indiana Fever, and the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League.

Contents

History

In February 2017, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the developer of the NBA 2K video game series, Take-Two Interactive, announced plans to launch an esports league around NBA 2K. [1] In May, the Indiana Pacers were announced as among the 17 of NBA's 30 teams set to participate in the inaugural NBA 2K League season, scheduled for 2018. [1] Pacers Gaming was established in December as part of the Pacers Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) umbrella. [2] The team's founding was led by Kelly Krauskopf, at the time the team president of the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), as well as the Senior Vice President of the Indiana Pacers. [3] The team competes in the NBA 2K League, a joint venture between the NBA and Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of the NBA 2K' video game franchise. [4] The Pacers were one of the first teams to join the 2K League. [3] Cody Parrent serves as the team's Senior Director of eSports Operations, equivalent to the head coach and general manager of the team. [5] [6] The team is sponsored by the Indiana National Guard. [7]

In the first 2K League Draft, Pacers Gaming selected Bryan "WoLF 74" Colon, a 22-year old from New York, with the 13th overall pick. [5] During the 2018 season, WoLF 74 was selected All-Tournament Second Team in the league's Tip-Off Tournament. [8]

The team won five games in its first season; in the following season, they doubled their win total and finished with a 10–6 record. They clinched a playoff berth and the sixth seed in the playoffs. [9] [10] They lost in the first round of the playoffs to 76ers Gaming Club, 0–2 in a best-of-three series. [11]

In 2020, the 2KL expanded and re-aligned its teams into newly formed Eastern and Western Conferences. That season, Pacers Gaming failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing the season in 9th place in the 11-team Western Conference with a 4–12 record. [12] The team had a resurgent 2021 season, finishing in second place in their conference, with a 20–8 record. [13] [14] They lost in the second round of the playoffs to Jazz Gaming. [14]

Beginning in 2022, the NBA 2KL added a 3v3 format, which would be played over the course of three tournaments as opposed to a traditional regular season. [15] That season, the league returned to in-person competition, after two years of remote play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [16] In the 2KL's 3v3 format in 2022, Pacers Gaming had a league-best 17–6 record, earning the number-one seed and a first-round bye for postseason play. They lost in their first championship tournament matchup to Rim Runners, an amateur team, 0–3. [17]

Pacers Gaming finished the 3v3 portion of their 2024 season with an 8–7 and 31–29 record in series played and overall games played, respectively. [18] In 5v5 play, they finished the year going 8–9 and lost to Bucks Gaming in the first round of the playoffs, 0–2. [19] In July, after the 2KL season concluded, 2KL CEO Andrew Perlmutter held a town hall with the league's staff and management, firing everyone and placing Pacers Gaming, along with the rest of the entire league, on an 18-month hiatus intended to be spent revamping the league. [20]

Logos and branding

A sister team of the NBA's Indiana Pacers, the Pacers Gaming logo features a stylized version of Boomer, the Pacers' mascot. [2] [21] In the press release announcing Pacers Gaming, the logo was called a "modernized Pacers Panther". [2] Like the NBA team, Pacers Gaming's logo is blue and yellow.

Season-by-season results

5v5 format

SeasonFinish [a] W [b] L [b] Win% Playoffs Head Coach
201859.357 [22] Did not qualifyCody Parrent
20196th106.625 [23] Lost first round (76ers Gaming Club)
0–2
Cody Parrent
2020412.250 [24] Did not qualifyCody Parrent
20212nd208.714 [13] Lost second round (Jazz Gaming) [14]
2022611.353 [25]
20231113.458 [26]
202489.471 [19] Lost first round (Bucks Gaming)
0–2

3v3 format

SeasonFinish [a] WL Win% Playoffs Head Coach
20221st176.739 [25] Lost 3v3 Championship Tournament (Rim Runners)
3–0 [17]
20231412.538 [26] N/A
20243129.517 [18]

Notes

  1. 1 2 The Finish column lists regular season results and excludes postseason play.
  2. 1 2 The Wins and Losses columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play, or play in the "Tip-Off", "The Turn", or "The Ticket" tournaments. Regular and postseason records are combined only below the table.

References

  1. 1 2 "17 NBA teams to take part in inaugural NBA 2K esports league in 2018" (Press release). National Basketball Association. May 4, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Pacers Sports & Entertainment Announces NBA 2K League Team Name & Logo". NBA.com . National Basketball Association. December 12, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Ayello, Jim (December 12, 2017). "Pacers Sports & Entertainment enters world of eSports as member of NBA 2K League". Indy Star . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  4. "Pacers Gaming Has Got Next". Indianapolis Monthly . February 18, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  5. 1 2 Nye, Rich (April 25, 2018) [April 23, 2018]. "Pacers Gaming eSports team begins play in NBA 2K League next month". WTHR . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  6. Sokeland, Kyle (May 15, 2020). "Reitz grad Cody Parrent turned love of video games into career with Pacers Gaming". Evansville Courier & Press . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  7. Chapman, Lauren (July 26, 2018). "Pacers, NBA Dive Into Esports". Curious Mix. WFYI . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  8. Mazique, Brian (May 6, 2018). "'NBA 2K' League Tip-Off Tournament Wrap-Up: MVP, All-Tournament Team, Positives And Negatives". Forbes . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  9. Glaspie, Akeem (July 24, 2019). "Traditional athletes, competitive experience transforms Pacers Gaming into playoff team". Indy Star . Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  10. Garcia, Jeff (July 24, 2019). "2019 NBA 2K League Playoffs: No team wants to face Pacers Gaming says Radoncic". KABB . Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  11. "Playoffs: Quarterfinals vs 76ers GC". Pacers Gaming. July 26, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  12. "Standings Archive". NBA 2K League . Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  13. 1 2 "Pacers Gaming 2021 Playoff Preview". Pacers Gaming. August 23, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "Pacers Gaming Record-Breaking Season Ends". Pacers Gaming. August 27, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  15. Bumbaca, Chris (December 16, 2021). "Changes coming to NBA 2K League: Tournament schedule, amateur 3-on-3 games, higher prize pool". USA Today . Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  16. Lorenzi, Joel (April 21, 2022). "NBA 2K League hoping to grow league in return to in-person play". Indy Star . Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  17. 1 2 "The NBA2KL 3V3 Championships". Pacers Gaming. August 19, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Pacers Gaming Close Out Their 3v3 Season, Losing 0-3 to Dux Infinitos". Pacers Gaming. April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Pacers Gaming Lose in 5v5 Playoffs; Season Over". Pacers Gaming. June 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  20. "NBA 2K League unveils layoffs, reimagined business". Sports Business Journal . July 3, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  21. Schoettle, Anthony (December 12, 2017). "Pacers unveil esports team's name, Boomer-inspired logo". Indianapolis Business Journal . Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  22. "Pacers Gaming Makes Historic Trade with Pistons GT". Pacers Gaming. September 27, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  23. White, Eddie (July 19, 2019). "Week 12: Pacers Gaming vs NetsGC". Pacers Gaming. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  24. "Pacers Gaming Gains No. 2 Position in 2021 NBA 2K League Draft". Pacers Gaming. October 29, 2020. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  25. 1 2 "The 5v5 Ticket Tournament vs Pistons GT". Pacers Gaming. August 12, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Pacers Gaming Win, Then Lose, Ending 2023 Season". Pacers Gaming. July 29, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2024.