NBA viewership jumps in China and several European countries / News - Basketnews.com

The NBA is gaining more ground around the world, especially in Mexico and some European countries, a recent Reuters survey indicates.

Credit: AP Photo/Morry Gash Credit AP Photo/Morry Gash

NBA viewership outside North America continues its rapid ascent with year-over-year average growth this season, according to a Reuters report.

Although the report's main focus is China, where viewership has jumped 80% for the first seven telecasts this season compared to the first seven telecasts once broadcasts resumed on March 29 last season, numbers are on the increase in several countries around the world - including Europe.

For instance, Portugal show a 122% increase, Italy record 81%, and Spain 12%. Mexico (+36%), the Philippines (+31%), and Canada (+11%) have also seen upticks in interest.

NBA League Pass, which gives subscribers access to live and on-demand games, has also grown internationally, with a 272% increase in Cameroon, the home country of Philadelphia star Joel Embiid, a 203% increase in Turkey and 78% rise in Italy.

As the NBA keeps targeting overseas markets, regular season games will be held in Mexico City later this month and Paris in January. The Basketball Africa League (BAL) completed its second season in May.

Credit Reuters - Scanpix

Global interest has been propelled by the rise and in some cases dominance of international players in the league, which had 120 non-U.S.-born players in teams' opening night squads this season.

In China, basketball fans are watching NBA games at levels close to where they were before Chinese state broadcaster CCTV took the league off the air for 18 months following a 2019 rift.

The NBA, one of the most popular U.S. cultural exports in China, makes hundreds of millions of dollars every year from its presence in the Chinese market but the decades-long partnership with CCTV was stopped in October 2019.

Credit AFP - Scanpix

Daryl Morey, Rockets General Manager at the time, tweeted in support of the protests in Hong Kong, and although the tweet was quickly deleted, it drew strong criticism in China. State media, including CCTV, criticized Morey for his tweet, which was labeled an example of Western interference in a bid to stir up anti-China sentiment.

The broadcaster immediately stopped showing NBA games, and the blackout stretched on for over 28 months, barring the one-off showing of two NBA Finals games in October 2020.

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