NBA Returning To China For First Time Since 2019 With Pair Of Preseason Games In Macao

12/05/2024 10:12 PM

The NBA will return to China for the first time since 2019 with two preseason games in Macao between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns in October. The NBA's relations with China became strained in October 2019 when Daryl Morey tweeted an image supporting protests in Hong Kong.

The divide led to the loss of lucrative sponsorships and the temporary removal of NBA games from Chinese broadcast television in 2019, which cost the league hundreds of millions in the ensuing seasons.

The NBA has worked for years to repair the relationship with NBA China CEO Michael Ma playing a key role.

The games in Macao will be played at the Venetian Arena, which is part of the Las Vegas Sands conglomerate controlled by the Adelson family, the majority ownership group of the Dallas Mavericks.

From 2004 to 2019, 17 NBA teams played a total of 28 preseason games in China.