Yao was making US $80,000 from the club (after tax) in Shanghai. He also has an endorsement from Nike (the whole Chinese National Team is endoresed by Nike, all Nike cares is how many feet in China not basketball). And $80,000 is a very comfortable income in Shanghai (but not rich). I am surpised he did not have car in China and he does not know how to drive. Both Wang and Bateer have cars in China.
They also cares about their outsourcing in China. Trying to figure out, how to lower their wage cost from already ripped off workers. Although I don't know the wage rate in China, it doesnt require Rocket scientist to figure out that it doesn't cost $150-$200 to produce basketball shoes. Oh wait, they in Indonesia nowadays.
THat sucks, Poor Boki, that guy had to pay that money to leave his team to come to America to warm the bench. hmmm.
If Yao defected, it would be a disaster from a marketing perspective, but I wonder if it would make him more of a hero to the Chinese people? I guess I would like to know from our Chinese friends on this board what they think about that, because I have seen some posts from Chinese posters that expressed hope that Yao would defect and break away from the Chinese government. What is the general opinion over there on this?
By the way, I hope nobody takes offense to my last post, I'm just curious to know, and I have no knowledge of the situation at present.
Certainly not. If yao defect, he will be bashed by the whole country, loyalty is deemed as one of most important merits in China. Think of Wang, Zhizhi, he didn't play world champion for China because he wanted to have summer camp and the time to sign a contract, and he is bashed by all the media. It's true most Chinese would not like to see the government suck up Yao's salary, but that's a million miles from appreciating a defect. Actually nobody gains a penny from such defect. Yao Ming will lose the marketing potential in China, even American chinese may begin to dislike him. Don't be naive.
Well, I won't change my opinion about anyone based on which citizenship he chooses. If Ming chooses to become an American citizen like Hakeem has done, I have no problem with that. And I am Chinese. Shrimpie
