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NBA's spectacular China games just the tip-off
2007-10-22
After three spectacular sold-out games, the NBA on Sunday judged its latest venture into China as a major success, and more US teams now look certain to make the trip in the near future. The Orlando Magic finished undefeated after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers once in Shanghai and again in Macau, while the Magic also rolled over a Chinese national side missing its NBA representatives Yao Ming and Yi Jianlin. At the end of the pre-season series on Saturday, coaches and players repeatedly expressed their thanks for the warm welcome they received from the knowledgeable and enthusiastic Chinese fans. NBA basketball is now the most popular sports league in China and the potential for growth remains huge in a country with a population of 1.3 billion and a rapidly expanding economy. "We've had a great time in China," said Magic star Dwight Howard. "The people are friendly and they love the game that we love." Cavaliers coach Mike Brown added: "China have been flat-out outstanding hosts who have been a joy to be around." The NBA was determined to bring the whole entertainment package to China, and a vast entourage ensured that each event was an exact replica of any US game -- complete with slick cheerleaders and team mascots to whip up the crowd. The league's merchandise is now sold in 50,000 outlets in China, with Yao Ming only the sixth best-selling jersey behind Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The NBA expects sales to grow 50 percent in 2007. The financial rewards are clear but, with the regular season starting on October 30, the long trip to China was not welcomed by all. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy stressed how tired his players were, and the effect that the tour has on the two teams will be closely watched in the coming weeks. Heidi Ueberroth, NBA president of global marketing, said that the effort had been worthwhile. "We received a really warm reception from the fans in both cities, who told us that they felt part of the experience and that it was a fun and interactive event," she said. "We wanted to provide fans in China with a chance to experience an authentic NBA event. The enthusiasm from the fans was incredible, as is their passion for the game." The NBA's ambitions in China have caused some friction, and Ueberroth stressed that the US league wanted to work in cooperation with China's domestic basketball authorities "Adding a third game against Team China gave the event an added dimension and culminated a year of successful collaboration between the NBA and the China Basketball Association on joint basketball development," she said.
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