http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...yoffs/2008/05/28/china.playoffs.ap/index.html Playoffs disappear from TV in China Story Highlights * NBA, unlike other sports, hasn't been shown much since earthquake * NBA basketball is popular in China, thanks in large part to Yao and Yi BEIJING (AP) -- NBA playoff games have mysteriously disappeared from Chinese television. Entertainment programs on Chinese television were suspended last week during a three-day period of mourning for victims of the deadly Sichuan earthquake, including NBA playoff games. When the mourning period ended, the NBA playoffs returned as the state-run national broadcaster CCTV showed the Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. However, subsequent games have not been shown. "We have followed orders and stopped the NBA broadcastntal Sports Daily. "Since the May 12 earthquake, we're careful about the way we broadcast the NBA and the content must match the whole atmosphere." However, concerns about sports programming following the earthquake did not prevent CCTV's sports channel from showing women's soccer and highlights of track, women's basketball and French Open tennis. The NBA's office in China offered only a brief statement from NBA China's chief executive officer Tim Chen. "We are working closely with CCTV to ensure that NBA games and content are appropriate for China and to begin broadcasting as soon as possible," Chen said. Michael Bass, NBA senior vice president of marketing communication, said Wednesday the NBA has not been given any indication that games were pulled for any political reason. "Our programming has been pre-empted in consideration of the tenor in China following the Sichuan earthquake," Bass said. NBA basketball is popular in China, although interest has dropped off without the top two Chinese players -- Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian -- in the playoffs. The injured Yao plays for the Houston Rockets and Yi plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Well the situation in China is really tough. I tought NBA is very popular in this country so it may not be easy for NBA's fans but I understand it. The tragedy was really big so there is no time to show sports like basketball.
It is all about David Stern's stupid Darfur comment. I thought Stern was smarter than this....not sure what he was smoking..
they're afraid foreign broadcasts may show reports on the tragedy in china in a way that in uncontrolled. perhaps implying indirectly that the goverment isn't doing all it can or should for its people.
I chose "No sports shown during tragedy". But it's government rule. The Chinese government is very stupidly sensitive and tell USA and the Chinese who's the boss.
Well, we do owe them a lot of money, we gambled on Iragistan but the house won and now we're afraid they are gonna break our legs so we'd better oblige.
i'm not sure about that since the majority of foreign medias are praising the rescue effort by chinese government.
As I read on the web, actually it's only CCTV that stopped broadcasting NBA playoffs. All the local channels are still showing them.
I am sure the NBA playoff ratings are worse than tennis. China loves their tennis, and the NBA playoffs is getting the viewership of other sports without Yao or Yi.
Because the chinese knew it will be a Lakers and Celtics final, so why bother watching it if destiny has already been decided.
I didn't watch the program. But that seems to be the consensus on chinese bbs. some posters there suggest boycutt of NBA because of that. China has significant stake in Dafur and many army were deployed there to protect China's interest. It's all politics.
You BJshot are even more stupidly sensitive to call Yao a coward because his goal is a 'Top Eight' in the Olympics.
I think this is the cause: NBA boss Stern OK with China-Darfur Olympic protest http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/08062007/3/nba-boss-stern-ok-china-darfur-olympic-protest.html It is one thing for players to do it, it is another thing for David Stern to OK it. The whole Darfur thing is really made up by so called Western Main Stream Media to make China look bad. What exactly did China do? Buying oil ? what's wrong with that? At least China didn't invade another country for oil, unlike the US. Selling weapons? Last time I check, the US has more than 50% of the market share, should the US be responsible for every human lives killed by these weaspons? And China wasn't even the largest country for Sudan's oil, in 2006 Japan imported more oil from Sudan than China did. I don't believe in conspiracy, but I just couldn't find any other explanation.
Tennis, soccer, basketball are all sports. NBA is not a real sports, it is an entertainment, sort of like WWE, and it is a game dominated by so called league superstars and controlled by David Stern's referees. No entertainment is allowed during the mourning period thus no NBA!
