Are sports just games, or can they be expressions of culture and politics?  In just the past couple of weeks, this question received a bold answer as the NBA came under attack by the Chinese government.  What happened to cause such a situation?

Basketball in China has been, and still is a rapidly growing sport.  With Yao Ming being a prominent player in the NBA during the early 2000s, the league gained traction in China.  Now, although there are no notable players from China in the NBA, the streetwear culture is helping to expand its influence further.  From shoes to shirts, and team loyalty to brand affiliations, basketball superstars represent the pinnacle of life for the younger and impressionable Chinese population.

(Yao Ming (center) meets President Xi Jinping (right).)

The relationship between the NBA and China is a very lucrative one.  Estimated to be an annual source of $500 million in revenue, the Chinese market is important not only to the team owners, but to the players and league as a whole.  Sneakers and jerseys, not to mention sponsorships and preseason games that attract new fans are all a part of this business relationship.

During the 2019 preseason, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey made a post to Twitter that put this relationship in jeopardy.  Deciding to voice his support for protestors in the Chinese controlled region of Hong Kong who are asking for autonomy from the nation, Morey’s tweet was extremely controversial in China.  In the United States, comments about our government and its problems are posted online everyday.  For the most part, these comments are viewed as a part of the democratic process as well as constructive criticism.  China however, has a very different perception of such negative press.  With some of the most heavily censored media in the world, China makes any and all attempts to squash any backlash towards the government or their president.  Therefore, when Morey tweeted, it had instant repercussions.  Not only was the government furious with Morey himself, they also felt as if they had been stabbed in the back by the NBA.  Over the following hours and days, the situation would escalate to a point that no one could have seen coming.

Immediately after Morey’s comments went live online, China declared that all media would be banned from interviews with players and coverage for the preseason game between the LA Lakers and the Brooklyn  Nets.  While the game was still able to be played, viral photos surfaced showing posters and advertisements being removed as everything unfolded.

The remainder of the games scheduled in China were looking uncertain to be played, and commissioner Adam Silver appeared to have one of the biggest challenges in recent memory on his plate.  While the NBA came out with an apology for Daryl Morey’s comments to try and ease the situation, there were some in the United States who felt that this was not the appropriate action, that we were caving to the will of China.  It must also be remembered that amidst all of this controversy, there is also a legitimate conflict in trade between the United States and China happening simultaneously.  This definitely formed an already bad context for the situation as a whole.  It appeared as though there was no way to get out, and still withholding his own apology was Morey himself.

Now, China threatened to end all economic ties with the NBA which is a threat that Adam Silver could not take to risk.  Morey was asked to apologize and ultimately complied.  The remainder of the preseason games were played, but under much more strict media rules.  Currently, China is back on speaking terms with the NBA, and all sales have been reestablished.  However, to the Chinese public, the perception of the NBA, whether it be due to how the Chinese media presented it, or for legitimate reasons of feeling as though their government was violated, has been tarnished.

(Lebron James’ jersey being burned after his comments on the situation.)

Sports in this case have certainly shown to transcend their traditional entertainment sphere.  They are more than just a game, they are an expression of a culture and a people behind it.  Personally, I could never see the United States reacting in the same way if the situation was reversed, so I tend to side with the NBA and free speech in that any comments should be allowed.  That being said, I think there is an interesting lesson to this ordeal.  Even though we are often caught up in our own little world and take for grated the freedoms we are allowed in the United States, other nations have very different opinions and societal constructs that are important for multinational businesses to take into account.  As the general manager of a team that has some of the strongest ties in Asia, Daryl Morey overstepped his boundaries and should have known the consequences of his voice.  China could most certainly have adopted a more modest approach to solving the problem, and many of the conflicts could have been resolved much more quickly and easily.  Overall, these past two weeks have shed light on the influence that entertainment and sports stars have throughout the world.  Their actions can change the thoughts of so many across the globe.