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- The Miami Heat and Rockstar Games are turning the team’s 18 November game against the Milwaukee Bucks into ‘A Night in Vice City’, ahead of GTA VI‘s 19 November release.
- Kaseya Center will feature a special Vice City basketball court, in-game fast-food chains Burger Shot and Cluckin’ Bell, and other themed activities.
- The collaboration also includes black-and-pink Nike x Cactus Jack uniforms, with a limited retail version available at the event and a separate Court Culture apparel collection already on sale.
Vice City is coming to Miami with a touch of Heat. The NBA team joins forces with Rockstar Games for “A Night in Vice City,” a one-night takeover of Kaseya Center on 18 November, when the Miami Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks just one day before Grand Theft Auto VI launches in the US.
It’s a fitting collaboration, considering Vice City has borrowed everything it can from the real Florida city: palm trees, beaches and neon-soaked nightlife. For the final mission before release day, Miami is getting in on the action.
We’re talking a one-night-only basketball court design, custom Nike x Travis Scott Cactus Jack uniforms and even a couple of familiar fast-food joints serving GTA-themed grub for anyone who fancies a bite between quarters.
The Miami Heat Welcomes You to Vice City
We’ve seen plenty of hardwood takeovers across NBA teams, but this might be one of the more ambitious video game crossovers we’ve seen in the NBA. The specially designed basketball court, featuring Vice City branding and a black-and-pink colour scheme inspired by GTA‘s neon-soaked aesthetic, replaces the Heat’s usual court design for its clash against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Fans attending the game will also have the opportunity to visit two iconic establishments familiar to anyone who’s spent time in the Grand Theft Auto universe.
Burger Shot and Cluckin’ Bell, the game’s long-running parodies of American fast-food chains, will operate at selected concession stands throughout Kaseya Center. Best check your ticket before you enter the area; Burger Shot will appear in sections 105, 120, 308 and 324, while Cluckin’ Bell will be exclusively setting up shop in section 325.
It’s a fun bit of world-building, though we hope the service is a little better than you’d typically expect from a GTA establishment.
With more to be announced for the full programme ahead of the game, the Heat are promising additional live entertainment and game-night activities. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm local time on 18 November, which is 11 am AEDT on Thursday, 19 November, for Australian viewers. ESPN will broadcast the game in the US, while Australians can watch live on NBA League Pass. For fans on Australia’s east coast, GTA VI is playable from midnight AEDT that morning, 11 hours before tip-off.
1/6Nike x Cactus Jack Goes Full Vice City
Nike and Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack are also a part of the Rockstar Games collaboration with the Miami Heat, with special black-and-pink kits for the occasion.
The design combines a black base with neon pink and white accents, a reversed Nike Swoosh and Cactus Jack branding. Pink stars, palm-tree graphics and a stylised ‘VI’ logo are the obvious design cues you’d expect in a GTA VI-themed uniform. Players will wear the on-court edition, which retains the Miami Heat name across the chest. If you’re barracking for another team, the retail version swaps out the Heat for more neutral Vice City script.
Although pricing and wider availability information are yet to be revealed, the limited Nike x Cactus Jack Vice City uniform will be available to purchase at Kaseya Center on 18 November.
For those who can’t make it to Miami, the team’s Court Culture Vice City collection is already available online. The range includes graphic T-shirts from USD $45, New Era caps from USD $48, a USD $100 hoodie and a USD $168 satin bomber jacket. There’s even a USD $120 ‘Welcome to Vice City’ neon sign for anyone looking to bring a little of Rockstar’s fictional Florida home.
As for the game itself, Grand Theft Auto VI launches on 19 November for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Whether Miami can send the Bucks packing before Vice City descends into its usual chaos remains to be seen.
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