Rockstar Games and the Miami HEAT announced "A Night in Vice City" on October 2, 2026 — a one-game rebrand of the NBA team for their November 18, 2026 matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks at Kaseya Center, the night before GTA 6 launches on November 19.
For that single game, the HEAT play as "Vice City" on a custom-designed court, wearing a uniform the team describes as "completely reinterpreted" and "never before worn," with exact designs still unannounced. The promotion is already underway outside the arena: Kaseya Center's exterior lit up with "Welcome to Vice City" signage on October 1, and the HEAT say more activations will be announced at HEAT.com/ViceCity in the coming weeks.
Why Kaseya Center, specifically
The tie-in isn't arbitrary. Kaseya Center's real-world exterior appeared in GTA 6's December 2023 reveal trailer under the fictional name "Sahara Arena," serving as the in-game home court for the fictional Vice City Narcos. Rockstar built the arena into Leonida's map years before this marketing deal existed, which is part of why the collaboration reads as a natural fit rather than a bolted-on sponsorship.
Broadcast and merchandise
The game airs nationally on ESPN and locally on Local 10, tipping off at 7 p.m. local time. A "Vice City" capsule collection — t-shirts, crop tees, and pocket tees carrying slogans styled after the original 1986-set Vice City — is already on sale through the HEAT's Court Culture line at Miami HEAT Store locations and MiamiHeatStore.com, ahead of any further uniform or court reveal.
This is a marketing partnership, not an in-game crossover — it doesn't change GTA 6's November 19, 2026 release date, price, or platforms. It follows a separate deal, approved by Miami Beach commissioners in September, to put Vice City branding on city beach chairs through the end of the year. For the full countdown to launch, including what happens the week before, see the release date guide.
Sources
- https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/50085674/miami-heat-night-vice-city-game
- https://www.shacknews.com/article/150893/nba-miami-heat-vice-city-gta-6-promotion
- https://thesource.com/2026/10/02/miami-heat-rockstar-games-night-in-vice-city-gta-vi/
- https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/26785/gta-6-marketing-scale-nbas-miami-heat-becomes-vice-city-for-one-night
- https://www.pcgamer.com/games/grand-theft-auto/were-not-giving-away-pistols-and-cocaine-to-people-miami-beach-votes-in-favor-of-grand-theft-auto-6-collab-despite-concerns/
Published 2026-10-03