The NBA has a record 202 TV networks this season, 14 of which are airing NBA content for the first-time, including CBC (Canada) and TVB Jade and TVB Pearl (Hong Kong). The NBA has renewed key partnerships in markets including NHK (Japan), which will enter its 20th season as an NBA partner, Five (UK), SKY and SportItalia (Italy), Premiere (Germany), 7TV (Russia) and Beijing TV (China).
There is currently increased fan and media interest in China as the two Chinese NBA players, Milwaukee Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian and Houston Rockets All-Star Yao Ming, will play against each other in an NBA game for the first time tonight. The game will air on 19 television stations in Greater China, including national station CCTV-5, on two Web sites, Sohu.com and NBA.com/china, and Kong will make the game available on a live basis via mobile phones in China. All will take the game live, except for ESPN in Hong Kong.
The NBA is conducting a live viewing party in Beijing for fans, partners and media. Yi and Yao’s second regular season showdown will take place during the Chinese New Year on February 2. In China, the NBA airs on 51 TV stations in Greater China and will look to eclipse one billion viewers for the third consecutive season.
The NBA will follow the success of 2007 NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS by expanding programming in the region. In Europe, the NBA is launching a new programme called “NBA 360” that will air in prominent slots in several European markets and offer highlights and "the best of the NBA" from the past weekend. On November 5, NBA 360 began to air in Germany (Premiere), UK (Five), Italy (Sportitalia), Russia (7TV), Hungary (Sport 1) and Slovenia (Sport Klub).
