Sports Marketing in China: Ball and the Wall

My career of more than three decades in greater China has been both rewarding and enjoyable. I’ve had the good fortune to lead the explosive growth of both NBA and UFC in Asia from the ground up, and since then to build several other successful sports enterprises in the region. I learned to value Chinese culture and especially the Chinese people. I married one, made close friends with many, and worked alongside or competed with hundreds more—on and off the court. This adventure has of course also brought its fair share of unique challenges. China’s culture traditionally does not lend itself to playing and following sports for their intrinsic benefits, such as health, teamwork, discipline, and just plain fun, especially for young people. Obstacles standing in the way of these ideals include the society’s overweighting of academic and economic advancement at all costs, the heavy hand of government authorities, and a larger culture rooted in face and hierarchy that would seem to encourage collectivism, but where the opposite—every man (or woman) for themselves—too often prevails. Beijing’s COVID-19 restrictions, a heightened sensitivity to territorial slights, and an ongoing tendency to promote domestic brands over foreign ones have further exacerbated the hurdles for American and other sports businesses. This chapter explores these challenges, recounts the story of how NBA China was able to overcome most of them, and how some long-term improvements to China’s sports industry—for both domestic and international players—are starting to take root in recent years.