The Miami Heat transform into the Vice City squad this November, debuting custom threads and a themed court to celebrate Rockstar Games’ release of GTA VI.
MIAMI, Fla. – As training camp concludes and the preseason is set to begin on Saturday, the Miami Heat announced an official partnership with Rocketstar Games for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI release.
In a regular-season matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 18 at the Kaseya Center, the theme will be “A Night in Vice City” and the team will be temporarily rebranded as Vice City. The date of the game is the day before the new popular video game is set to be purchasable by the public.
The partnership started with a celebrated lighting of “Welcome to Vice City” signage on the roof of the Kaseya Center that took place on Thursday, Oct. 1. There will be more to come from the collaboration in the upcoming weeks. The game will be televised on ESPN and Local 10 in South Florida, as the Heat’s new television distributor.
It’s a first-of-its-kind sports crossover, which will include new uniforms and its own special court for the game. Although those will be unveiled at a later time, the Vice City collection from the Heat’s signature clothing line, Court Culture, will be available at all team store locations and online exclusively at MiamiHeatStore.com.
The new Grand Theft Auto VI has been in development for over a decade. However, several setbacks have occurred since the game’s initial release date. After years of waiting and patience from several fans and the rest of the public, pre-sales began in late June this year on digital storefronts and other selected physical retailers, such as GameStop, Best Buy, and Target. The game’s setting is based on the City of Miami, but it’s called Leonida.
It’s reportedly the largest world Rockstar has ever built. The map will have six main regions; however, a Disney World parody is unlikely.
Rather than the familiar Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, and Trevor Phillips, Grand Theft Auto VI revolves around the relationship between Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, a crime duo. The fate of both players’ chemistry will lie in the hands of the gamer.
More than 170 animals will be featured and the weather will replicate Florida’s climate.
The Heat take an opportunity to be part of something the rest of the league hasn’t done before.
At Media Day, Houston Rockets center Steven Adams joked about the player’s production dipping because Grand Theft Auto VI is the focus, as Nov. 19 is the official release date.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
