NBA to Go Back To China with Multiyear Deal In Macau
NBA to host pre-season games in Macau from 2025
Deal marks NBA’s return to China after 2019 controversy
*
Macau gambling establishments aiming to enhance non-gaming income
(Rewrites to add context that deal marks NBA’s go back to China)
By Farah Master
HONG KONG, Dec 6 (Reuters) – The National Basketball Association (NBA) has signed a multiyear offer to play pre-season games in Macau from 2025, marking the league’s go back to the Chinese market after a years-long lack that followed debate over the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
Local media quoted NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum as saying the NBA would host two pre-season video games each year for the next five years at gambling establishment operator Sands China’s Venetian arena in Macau, a special administrative region of China. The first games, set up for October of next year, will pit the Brooklyn Nets against the Phoenix Suns.
A source familiar with the matter validated the regional media reports of the offer. The NBA did not right away respond to an ask for remark.
Although China has just recently hosted NBA legends star games, consisting of one scheduled for Saturday at the Venetian property, the pre-season deal will mark a return of frequently scheduled NBA play to China.
The NBA’s absence followed a firestorm of controversy around remarks five years ago by the Houston Rockets’ then-General Manager Daryl Morey, who published a message on social media in support of anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong.
Beijing suspended the broadcast of NBA games following that event, triggering corporate sponsors to flee and the league to suffer what it described at the time as significant financial effects. Pre-season NBA games in China were likewise .
In February, Joe Tsai, owner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team and chairman of Chinese tech company Alibaba, stated the occurrence was water under the bridge which the NBA would love to bring games back to China and Macau.
Macau is the only location in China where citizens are able to lawfully bet in casinos.
Its government and Beijing have actually been advising the 6 certified gambling establishments – Wynn Macau, Sands China, SJM Holdings, Galaxy Entertainment, Melco and MGM China – to increase their percentage of earnings from non-gaming.
Macau’s economy is greatly reliant on the gambling establishment market, which contributes around 80% of regional tax earnings.
Last year, Macau’s government rolled out its very first plan centred on a technique where tourist and leisure are the main pillars, supported by emerging industries such as traditional Chinese medication, health, monetary services and innovation, in addition to conventions, exhibitions, trade, culture and sports.
It goes for non-gaming industries to account for around 60% of Macau’s GDP by 2028 versus 50% pre-pandemic in 2019.
(Reporting by Farah Master; Additional reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Nicholas Yong and Edmund Klamann)
