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China could host regular season games in 2007, says Stern

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Champ06, Aug 7, 2006.

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  1. Champ06

    Champ06 Member

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    Regular season games in China? Does that work? Is it fair to the Season tickets holder or is NBA going to include air tickets to China? :D Maybe, only Rockets' home games will be played in China. It may help McGrady since McGrady didn't play well in Toyota Center.

    China could host regular season games in 2007, says Stern

    BEIJING, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Regular season NBA games could take place in China as early as next year, league commissioner David Stern said on Sunday.
    The last time the NBA came to China was in October 2004 when the Houston Rockets, led by local hero Yao Ming, played pre-season games against the Sacramento Kings in Shanghai and Beijing.

    "We didn't have the China game in the following year in 2005 because we were having a collective bargain then," Stern told state news agency Xinhua in Guangzhou.
    "We don't have it this year because of the preparation of the world championship.
    "But we are planning to play some games next year here. It could be pre-season, or even regular season."

    Stern is in China to watch the U.S. play China and Brazil this week in a warm-up tournament for the world championships, which start in Japan on Aug. 19.
    Partly inspired by Yao Ming's success, the NBA is hugely popular in China and the league recently moved its Asian operation to Beijing.
    "China is the second-biggest market to the NBA, and sometimes even bigger than the United States," Stern said.
    "We want to make the China game a continuous competition. We'll have pre-season games, regular-season games, national competitions and coaching clinics here. China is such an exciting market."
     
    #1 Champ06, Aug 7, 2006
  2. YallMean

    YallMean Member

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    "COULD be pre-season or even regular season games"

    Stern sounds like a salesman.
     
    #2 YallMean, Aug 7, 2006
  3. JeopardE

    JeopardE Contributing Member

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    IIRC, the Rockets played at least one preseason game in China last year.
     
    #3 JeopardE, Aug 7, 2006
  4. YallMean

    YallMean Member

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    First, Stern didnt say for sure china will host for next year. At best it's a candidate among other countries. No real news here.
    Second, big deal, Japan has baseball regular games for years. NFL has been played in Mexico city. It's more benifical to NBA's interest than China's. It's all about $$$.
     
    #4 YallMean, Aug 7, 2006
  5. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    The Rockets played 2 regular season games in Japan in 1992.
     
    #5 SamFisher, Aug 7, 2006
  6. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    Basketball is trying to run down Soccer as the world's
    most popular sport
    and
    things like this help alot

    I ain't saying it will catch Soccer
    but
    IMO
    It seems basketball is a STRONG #2

    Rocket River
     
    #6 Rocket River, Aug 7, 2006
  7. aussie rocket

    aussie rocket Member

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    come on D Stern.

    you've played games on every other freaking continent it seems.

    time to give Australia a shot.

    China had Ming, we have Bogut, we dont want any regular season games (although we wouldnt complain) just a preseason one would suffice.

    It would be a surefire success for all parties involved.
     
    #7 aussie rocket, Aug 7, 2006
  8. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Well if you import a few hundred million more people you might have a shot....
     
    #8 SamFisher, Aug 7, 2006
  9. Ryan Bowen MVP

    Ryan Bowen MVP Member

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    "China is an exciting market" - Stern

    Is the US not enough business for the NBA? Whoever said Stern was a salesmen is right. I'm sure he's one of the reasons the new NBA ball costs $100. Pre-season and exhibition games are fine in other countries, but he really needs to keep reguler season games and all-star games in the US. And if he was a true marketing guru, he would have waited on adding Canadian expansion teams to the league.

    Plus the jet-lag could make some players more tired and less exciting having to travel continent to continent to play a game.
     
    #9 Ryan Bowen MVP, Aug 8, 2006
  10. VicVictory

    VicVictory Member

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    These guys get paid millions to play basketball. I'm sure a little extra travel time isn't going to hurt. They are men, not babies. If i got paid as much as them, I'd be willing to play games in Alaska during December.
     
    #10 VicVictory, Aug 8, 2006
  11. WhoMikeJames

    WhoMikeJames Contributing Member

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    Why regular season... Preseason is ok but please leave the regular season games for the true fans.
     
    #11 WhoMikeJames, Aug 8, 2006
  12. UberDork

    UberDork Member

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    By true fans, do you mean hometown fans, NBA fans, or general basketball fans?
     
    #12 UberDork, Aug 8, 2006
  13. RocketForever

    RocketForever Contributing Member

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    No true fans in oversea?
     
    #13 RocketForever, Aug 8, 2006
  14. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Contributing Member

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    Sounds cool to me...Free trip to China, extended weekend game...I'd be all over it...The jet-lag would suck in the regular season, but the NBA wants to make more money, so it'll probably happen...
     
    #14 rrj_gamz, Aug 8, 2006
  15. Tb-Cain

    Tb-Cain Member

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    I may be mistaken about some of the games below, but I think the ones I bolded were regular season games.

    I don't think the teams enjoy the long flights which puts them at a slight disadvantage right out of the gate.

    http://www.nba.com/europelive/intl_games.html

     
    #15 Tb-Cain, Aug 8, 2006
  16. aussie rocket

    aussie rocket Member

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    they have played games in puerto rico, mexico, italy, the freakin' Dominican Republic.

    and you think a population of 20 million plus, isn't enough to constitute a simple pre season NBA game?
     
    #16 aussie rocket, Aug 9, 2006
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