Miami Heat become the Vice City Heat for one game on the eve of GTA VI
The Miami Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks on November 18, the day before GTA VI launches, in a new uniform on a one-night-only Vice City court, according to IGN, Insider Gaming and GamesRadar+.
The Miami Heat will play one home game under a Vice City identity on November 18, the night before Grand Theft Auto VI comes out. IGN, Insider Gaming and GamesRadar+ all report the event, called "A Night in Vice City", and the Heat's own website and store list the court, the uniform and the merchandise.
The opponent is the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off at the Kaseya Center is set for 7pm EST / 4pm PT, and ESPN will show the game live. GamesRadar+ says the team will play as the "Vice City Heat" for the night.
Court, uniform and the evening
According to the Heat's website, the team will play on "The Vice City Court", which it describes as a "special hardwood built for Vice City" that will be used for this one game only. The players will wear what the club calls a "completely reimagined uniform for the night".
The Heat also promise special activities and activations on game night. GamesRadar+ says these will run through the evening and into the moment GTA VI unlocks in the US. What those activities are has not been announced.
Merchandise
A Vice City apparel line is already on sale at the Miami HEAT Store, both in person and online. Insider Gaming lists t-shirts in several prints, a hoodie, a crewneck, dad caps and snapbacks, priced between $45 and $110, and says the dad cap has already sold out. GamesRadar+ also mentions crop tops and jumpers, and puts a shirt at $55.
Part of a wider Miami campaign
The game is the latest piece of Rockstar's GTA VI marketing in Miami. A large "Welcome to Vice City" sign already stands on top of the Kaseya Center, and IGN reports that the top of the arena was lit up to start the collaboration. According to IGN, that followed lengthy negotiations with local officials over how far Rockstar could go in using the city for its advertising.
The arena has a counterpart in the game: IGN notes that the Kaseya Center appears in GTA VI as the Sahara Arena.
Who is paying for all this is not stated. IGN presumes it is a sponsorship deal with Take-Two and Rockstar, but that has not been confirmed.
GTA VI releases on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, at $79.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 for the Ultimate Edition. The Vice City Heat take the court the evening before; details of the night's activities have not yet been announced.
