The Charlotte Hornets have unveiled the name and logo of their NBA 2K League team today.
Hornets Venom GT will begin playing in the 2020 season as the 22nd NBA franchise to join the league. The team’s coach will be announced in the “coming weeks” and this will be the “first major esports franchise based in Charlotte,” according to the Venom GT website.
The website also explains the inspiration behind the team’s logo.
“The name and logo both invoke the intensity and intimidation of a hornet, with the teal and white logo designed to represent its piercing, ominous gaze,” the team’s website reads. “The white ‘V’ ties to the name while doubling as a portion of the head. The logo is simple and clean, designed to convey its message in any size or format, whether that be digital within the game, in print, on merchandise or in other uses.”
“With North Carolina’s rich basketball history and the Hornets organization’s commitment to innovation and fan engagement, we know they will be a great addition to the NBA 2K League family,” 2KL managing director Brendan Donohue said about the Hornets joining the league.
The NBA 2K League plays its regular season games in Long Island City, New York, but it held tournaments in other cities this season for the first time. The Turn took place in Las Vegas and The Ticket was played in Orlando, Florida.
“Our NBA 2K League affiliate will provide us with another opportunity to extend the HSE brand and reach a highly-coveted, as well as hard-to-reach, younger demographic of fans,” Hornets president and vice chairman Fred Whitfield said.
The NBA 2K League is now in week 10 of its 12-week regular season leading up to the playoffs, which begin on July 24.
