The Miami Heat will take the court under the name 'Vice City' for a single home game on November 18, just one day ahead of the release of GTA 6. The game will feature a dedicated court and completely newly designed uniforms.
On October 2, the Heat revealed 'A Night In Vice City,' a collaborative event with Rockstar Games, via their official social media channels and website. The event will take place during their home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Kaseya Center at 7 p.m. local time on November 18. The Heat will play as Vice City for this single day only. Ticketing site Ticketmaster has also listed the matchup name as 'Milwaukee vs. Vice City (Miami HEAT vs. Milwaukee Bucks).'
According to the team, a special custom court designed specifically for Vice City will be installed for the game. The players will wear a completely reinterpreted new uniform. Inside the arena, special programming will begin with the home opener on October 21, with unique game-day productions planned for November 18 as well. Notably, the NBA also announced the event on the Heat's team page on its official website and created a dedicated special landing page.
Related merchandise is already on sale at the team store. Items including oversized t-shirts, crop tees, and pocket tees have been listed, along with products featuring slogans evocative of the 100% completion reward t-shirt from the original GTA: Vice City.
The Kaseya Center already has ties to GTA 6. Its exterior appeared in the first trailer released in December 2023, and it was later introduced in trailers under the name 'Sahara Arena.' In the game, it serves as the home court for the 'Vice City Narcos,' the fictional team corresponding to the Heat. A 'Welcome to Vice City' sign has also been installed on the arena's roof.
The marketing push is spreading outside the arena as well. On September 10, the Miami Beach City Commission approved a proposal for the GTA 6 promotional campaign by a 4-3 vote, with advertisements utilizing beach facilities scheduled to begin on October 15. This initiative aligns with the strategy previously outlined by Take-Two Interactive. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick teased massive, wide-ranging marketing for GTA 6 in an interview last May.
Following the one-night special name change for the Miami Heat, GTA 6 will be released on PS5 and XSX|S on November 19, the day after the event. Meanwhile, details regarding the design of the court and uniforms for the event, as well as the in-arena programming, will be revealed at a later date.
