NBA in China

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srjclone

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Nov 17, 2014
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Big source of revenue for them until China figures out how the NBA works, steals its game plan, and then develops a league of its own. Maybe they haven't figured out how to clone genetics though.
You... you realize there is a CBA, correct? And like, 10 top-tier players have shoe deals with Chinese shoe companies? And it is thought to have the largest amount of basketball fans (300 million estimated) than anywhere else in the world?

China and Basketball have been linked at the hip since Yao exploded onto the scene. They will not take over the NBA as far as best league in the world, but they can hamstring it by not broadcasting the product to that large of a majority of its fans. Hence, the NBA being so subservient.
 

MeowingCows

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Jun 1, 2015
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I think my UNTESTED working theory is companies that are "woke" aren't POLITICALLY "woke" - they are FINANCIALLY "woke". Nike may be a progressive organization but I think it's more a function of their market and their manufacturing and not closely held political beliefs. Same with NBA, google, etc... And that shouldn't surprise me but I do allow my naivete to creep back in once in awhile.

But I'm honestly getting confused on whom I'm supposed to cancel, shun, marry or ostracize.
I tend to agree -- as with any other profit-focused company, they'll do whatever marketing makes them the most money. Period. Guys sitting at the Board of Directors table don't give a flying f*** about Hong Kong or communist governments or gays, they just want money. Thus, the facade of caring to drum up more money.
 
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cycfan1

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You... you realize there is a CBA, correct? And like, 10 top-tier players have shoe deals with Chinese shoe companies? And it is thought to have the largest amount of basketball fans (300 million estimated) than anywhere else in the world?

China and Basketball have been linked at the hip since Yao exploded onto the scene. They will not take over the NBA as far as best league in the world, but they can hamstring it by not broadcasting the product to that large of a majority of its fans. Hence, the NBA being so subservient.

It was a joke... one thing the Chinese can't copy and steal from US is genetics and superior sports leagues... so might have a little bit of leverage with this one.
 
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Doc

This is it Morty
Aug 6, 2006
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The grievance is the inconstancy and hypocrisy.

I don’t think it’s hypocritical for any of the companies that have capitulated to China to allow their people the freedom to voice opinions on issues.

I don’t want this to go to the cave, but I’m probably one of the more anti-capitalism posters there, so personally I’m happy to see more people are joining the “let’s not try to maximize profits at the expense of people” camp:p.
 

Doc

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I’ll stop my totally unbiased defense of the NBA now. I gotta go read some season previews. Can’t wait for the 22nd.
 

isufbcurt

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Apr 21, 2006
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I am disappointed in Kerr and Pop being silent. They are 2 guys who have always spoken their stance and they are big enough names that the NBA isn't going to mess with them.
 

Clonefan32

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Nov 19, 2008
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I am disappointed in Kerr and Pop being silent. They are 2 guys who have always spoken their stance and they are big enough names that the NBA isn't going to mess with them.

I thought Steph's statement was much better. Basically that this was a complicated issue-- not so much the Hong Kong part, but the various interests at play with the NBA. Honestly, I'd find it refreshing if they'd just say there is an absolute ****-pot load of money on the line here so we all have to be careful what we say.
 
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Urbandale2013

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You... you realize there is a CBA, correct? And like, 10 top-tier players have shoe deals with Chinese shoe companies? And it is thought to have the largest amount of basketball fans (300 million estimated) than anywhere else in the world?

China and Basketball have been linked at the hip since Yao exploded onto the scene. They will not take over the NBA as far as best league in the world, but they can hamstring it by not broadcasting the product to that large of a majority of its fans. Hence, the NBA being so subservient.
The thing is I don’t think The NBA needs China as much as China needs the NBA. The NBA will make a ton of money off the rest of the world. Sure losing that market hurts but it can survive that. China blocking the NBA with as many fans there as there are will lead to more resentment of their government. Why do people think that China has the power other than the NBA is to greedy to take a stand.
 
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Clonefan32

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The thing is I don’t think The NBA needs China as much as China needs the NBA. The NBA will make a ton of money off the rest of the world. Sure losing that market hurts but it can survive that. China blocking the NBA with as many fans there as there are will lead to more resentment of their government. Why do people think that China has the power other than the NBA is to greedy to take a stand.

Think you may be underestimating their impact:

https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-nb...op-due-to-situation-with-china-003037770.html
 
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BoxsterCy

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Edit: deleted giant Reddit bomb. If you’re curious , they’re compiling a list of companies who have kowtowed to pressure from China along with a list who have not.

When it comes to China most companies have more in common with inflatable sex dolls than with actual self-determining businesses.
 
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srjclone

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The thing is I don’t think The NBA needs China as much as China needs the NBA. The NBA will make a ton of money off the rest of the world. Sure losing that market hurts but it can survive that. China blocking the NBA with as many fans there as there are will lead to more resentment of their government. Why do people think that China has the power other than the NBA is to greedy to take a stand.
Sure they don't NEED China, but it would certainly take a hit financially. Pretty sure I read an article that talked about a reduction in salary cap if they lost China. An extreme, and not one that would cause the NBA to fail. But a serious hit all the same.

Edit: clonefan beat me to it
 

Urbandale2013

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Define "need". Could they operate? Sure. Would the economic impact be felt for several years to come in terms of profitability, player salaries, player endorsements, etc? Yes.
Need=can they operate. The NBA is one of the few organizations that can take a stand against China if they want. It would definitely be painful and I don’t want to get into whether they should because that gets political but the NBA absolutely can ride that out longer than the Chinese government.
 
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boone7247

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Your point would be a lot stronger if you'd leave out "SJW".

The obvious fact that the Chinese government Trump has asked to decide our 2020 election is completely dishonest, evil and corrupt does not somehow dismiss concerns about racism in our country.

All spaces of the political spectrum are correct to criticize the NBA's original response. Ted Cruz is right. AOC is right. Fox News is right. CNN is right. NYT's conservative editorial board is right.

Where it comes off the rails is the insane suggestion that somehow this means people aren't allowed to speak out against racism in our own country or that retroactively their concerns were never real. News flash but every black NBA player has dealt with racism their entire life and most likely only been concerned about China/Hong Kong politics in the past few weeks.

I should not have use SJW, it was a bad way to paraphrase the CNN reporter's question. I am hoping the rest of the post isn't directed at what I said, because leaping from SJW to Trump to saying I am suggesting free speech should be suppressed is far from anything I said in my post.

China has a control issue, the NBA has a revenue partner issue, and the rest of the US sports world just got woken up to how much influence China is pressing on the world from a free speech standard. That is all I was slightly pointing out in that post.
 
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