Blazer5 Gaming Hires Operations Manager to Build Roster, Manage Front Office Structure for Entry Into NBA 2K League

Just days after unveiling its team name, colors, logo and official entry into the new NBA 2K League, Blazer5 Gaming is announcing its first hire. Cameron McAlees (@noremachi) has joined the organization as its first-ever Operations Manager. When the NBA 2K League launches in 2018, Blazer5 Gaming will be among 17 teams participating in the inaugural season.

McAlees will manage a squad that will begin play in May 2018 with a roster of five players who will live in-market during the season; and oversee additional front officer hiring. His other duties include supervising the team manager; coordinating with Blazer5 Gaming digital and social media staff to create compelling esports content; developing player profiles in advance of the first-ever esports draft; and assisting the sales organization in effectively integrating sponsor brands in the esports ecosystem.

“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with some of the best of the best here at Portland to launch a brand new esports franchise participating in the NBA 2K League,” said McAlees.  “I look forward to being a major part of growing the Portland esports community for years to come.”

McAlees comes to Portland and Blazer5 Gaming from the Greater Detroit area where he was Overwatch Esports Manager for the Renegades over the past year.  Prior to his time with the Renegades, McAlees was a Developer for Splyce, Inc. in Rochester, New York.  One of the youngest members of the Portland Trail Blazers organization management team, McAlees studied Computer Science at Rochester Institute of Technology; and logged additional collegiate studies at the University of Utah.

During the inaugural season, all NBA 2K League games will be played in one or two central studios. The official gaming platform, media carriage partners and other marketing partners will be announced soon. Fans and prospective gamers can connect with Blazer5 Gaming content, information, announcements and other special promotions at www.blazer5gaming.com; and by following the team @blazer5gaming on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  

The NBA 2K League, a joint venture between the NBA and Take-Two Interactive, is a professional esports league featuring the best 2K players in the world. A qualifying stage for the league will take place in January 2018 to determine players for tryouts in February, followed by a draft in March and tip-off in May. Each team participating in the inaugural season will draft five players who will play the game using unique characters.

Qualifying for the NBA 2K League will take place from Jan. 1-31, 2018, and is the first step for prospective players to make the league. The Qualifier is open to anyone in the world who has a copy of NBA 2K18 (Xbox One or PS4) and is 18 or older. All players who win 50 games in NBA 2K18’s Pro-Am mode and complete an online application by January 31 can be invited to the next round of tryouts in February.