A massive marketing push has been mounted for the NBA’s first trip to China for the ‘China Games’, starting today in Shanghai when the Houston Rockets face the Sacramento Kings.
Tickets for the games all sold out within hours of going on sale, with intense media interest surrounding China’s top sportsman Yao Ming playing for the Rockets in his home country for the first time.
Now, with the huge potential the market offers, commissioner Stern is, according to reports, considering staging regular season games ahead of Beijing hosting the 2008 Olympic Games if the current tour proves a success.
Earlier in the week McDonald’s joined the bank of major US brands supporting the China tour.
It joined Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Kodak, Reebok and Walt Disney, as a marketing partner of the NBA China Games 2004.
The China Games will be played today at the Shanghai Stadium and on Sunday in Beijing’s Capital Stadium. Both stadiums have been newly renovated for the games.
With the NBA set to play its first ever game in China today, commissioner David Stern has hinted regular season games could be held in the country.
