This document provides a sociocultural analysis of the NBA's global marketing strategy in China. It discusses how the 1992 Dream Team sparked global interest in basketball and transformed the NBA into a global phenomenon. It also examines how the NBA uses cultural meaning, marketing strategies like relationship marketing, promotion, and sports heroes/celebrity endorsers like Yao Ming to expand its influence and fanbase in China. The NBA relies on star players to convey its marketing messages and build connections with international audiences.

1. Reaching for the Stars
A Sociocultural Analysis of the NBA’s Global
Marketing Strategy in China
JuanPabloPoch
2015

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Three yearsago, incelebrationof the 1992 BarcelonaOlympics“DreamTeam,”ESPN launcheda
documentaryfilmthatbeganwiththe followingstatement:“Neverbefore andneveragainwill there be
such a team” (The Dream Team 20th Anniversary, 2012). Even though I grew idolizing Michael Jordan,
“Magic” Johnson and other NBA
legends, the games I watched and
followed were those of Kobe Bryant,
Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James.
Thus, this statement struck me with
bewilderment, for the game and the
style of the stars of my younger
generation was already surreal to me.
There will always be an unsettled
debate between old-school fans and new school aficionados over whether the current generation of
AmericanAll-Starscouldmatchthe “DreamTeam’s”accomplishments. Among the disputable criteria –
level of competitiveness,athleticism,in-game domination,etc. –,the global footprintleft the 1992 team
remains unmatched according to the majority of basketball analysts and sports writers:
“An American sport was transformed into a global phenomenon when Michael Jordan, Magic
Johnson, Larry Bird and the rest of the NBA's best arrived in Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics.
Theysparkedan interestinbasketball thatcontinuestoimpactthe NBA —onandoff the court.”
(AP Online, September 15, 2014)
The Dream Team’s performance during the Olympics astounded the world of sports on an
unprecedented scale. The alien encounter of amateurish players from different countries with the
UnitedStates’finestprofessionalsculminatedwiththe total dominationof the American team “beating
its eight opponents by an average of 44 points” (“The Original Dream Team”). However, a gold medal
stays short to describe the chain reaction that sparked after 1992 (Figure 1). While NBA basketball
Figure1 The 1992 Dream Team duringaward ceremony, where theyearned
the goldmedal after beating Croatia in the finals(AFP)

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returnedhome tocompete withthe National Football Association,the Major League Baseball and even
college-level sports in the domestic market of spectator sports, its international image experienced a
staggering popularization. The fruition of the NBA in the global arena of sports allowed international
players to take their talent and aspirations to the pantheon of the basketball world. Moreover, it
providedbasketball fansaroundthe worldwithasightof the sport’smaximumlevelof competition,and
gave thema taste of the escalatingtensionof buzzer-beaters, the empowering emotions of dunks and
the releasing climax of victories.
Aware of the on-goingglobalizationof NBA basketball,the league’sexecutiveofficesceased the
opportunity to expand their prominent domestic influence to a promising global market. During an
interview in November of 2008, the former president of International Business Operations Heidi
Ueberroth affirmed the executives’ expanding resolve:
“DavidStern[NBA commissionerfrom1984 to 2014] recognizedthisopportunityahead of most
as he focusedoninternational expansion decades ago. Because sports [are] unique in bridging
cultures and bringing people together, having a strategy to grow outside the United States is
very important if a sport is to continue to be relevant.” (Swangard 2008)
How does the NBA reach the proliferating global audience? How does the global cultural diversity
influence the league’s marketing campaigns? This investigation answers these two fundamental
questions about the NBA’s globalization phenomenon with a comprehensive approach of its sport
marketing strategies, sociological factors and cultural implications.
Thispaperdevelopsonthe worksof Freyand Eitzen to address the fundamental importance of
sports in culture and society, while Nauright proposes a diversity of insights on its economic and
traditional developmentthroughglobalization.Alongwiththe sociological standpoint, Irwin and Sutton
set the basic theoretical framework of business marketing strategies – commonly find in the sports
market–, such as relationshipmarketinganditspromotiontocostumers.Moreover,Fullerton and Marz
dredge through these basic foundations by narrowing the subject to sports marketing and, also,

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expandingonthe use of the previousscheme withinthe fieldof professionalsports.Additionally,Mason
provides a comprehensive insight about the product marketed by the league through the previous
strategies, as well as its inherent attractiveness to consumers. Subsequently, the sociological and
marketing scopes merge into the concepts of sports hero and celebrity, based upon, as suggested by
Mason and Shuart, the consumer audience’s perception of likeability and credibility of such figures.
Finally,thisframeworkisappliedtothe case of the NBA’sexpansionin China, for, as avowed by current
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver – whose goal is “to make basketball the No.1 sport in the world” –,
“nothing can be No.1 at anything in the world unless it is No.1 in China” (Wang 2014).
Cultural Meaning of Sport: Why is it important to society?
How is it that sports pose such an impact to modern global society, to the point that it binds the most
diverse and dissimilar cultures together? Sports provide one of the most common forms of
entertainment in a way that they abstract individuals from their ordinary daily routine, whether one
behaves as a passive spectator or an active participant. However, argue Frey and Eitzen, “structure or
forms of behavior and interaction found in sport settings are similar to those found in other societal
settings”(FreyandEitzen 1991, 504). Even thoughthe environment around sports juxtaposes with that
of the office or workplace, they both feature underlying patterns of interaction among individuals:
“group dynamics,goal attainmentbysocial organizationand socialization” among other conducts (Frey
and Eitzen 1991, 504). Nonetheless, the attractive feature of sports is the nuanced environment they
generate between rational social codes and irrational emotions:
“No other institution, except perhaps religion, commands the mystique, the nostalgia, the
romanticideational cultural fixationthatsportdoes.Nootheractivitysoparadoxicallycombines
the seriouswiththe frivolous,playfulnesswithintensityandthe ideological with the structural”
(Frey and Eitzen 1991, 504)
The settingof sportscan be valuedasthe site that illustrates almost to perfection the whole picture of
humannature, where the logical andemotional identitiescancoexistwithoutanoverwhelmingeffortto

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suppressone another.Thus,individualsmay be attracted to sports not only as a social activity, but also
as a relieving opportunity for personal introspection.
From a groupperspective,the associationof individualswhoshare similarviewsorperspectives
transformsthemintoagentswithinthe institutionof sports. This results in the creation of fan groups, a
collection of people driven by the same goals or values and who advocate for some form of
identification. This cohesive power can be projected to the international arena, where “sport can
contribute to a national identity or sense of nationalism that temporarily overrides differences” (Frey
and Eitzen 1991, 511). Therefore, the social activity enabled by sports can be able to transcend into a
collective force, when individuals reach a consensus over the identities and goals they are willing to
advocate for.
From a global perspective, the apparent relative ease in which sports circulate through the
cosmopolitan media has galvanized collateral cultural features of different places to adhere to it. In
other words, the mobilization of sports may also provide a vessel for other traditional elements of
contrasting societies, for “globalization [has revealed] the inadequacy of sameness as communities
assert their uniqueness” (Nauright 2010). As Nauright claims, “once they reach local communities,
sportingeventsare aboutmuchmore than merelyboostingtourism,local investmentandemployment,
however. They can provide opportunities to challenge dominant social structures” (Nauright 2010).
However,some scholarsdebate thatthe local cultural aspectisoftenandultimatelyexacerbated by the
global consumption impulse: “traditional cultural and ideological elements exert an influence in the
short term, but…are typically rendered impotent in the face of relentless economic forces” (Nauright
2010). Furtherresearchisneededtoaddressthe tug-of-warbetween the global economic uprising and
the local cultural resistance. Nonetheless, the current stalemate could suggest that both “can evoke
powerful imagery and elicit emotional responses from spectators” (Nauright 2010).

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Marketing the Sports Product
The market of sportshas grownin such a massive dimensionthatitnow integratesall typesof industries
around it. From clothing retailers to cable providers, all sorts of firms seem to boost their revenues
behind the banner of a sports league, and its derivative teams and athletes. According to Mason, the
“core league product,”one thatisnot intervenedbyothersport-related(e.g.apparel,footwear) or non-
sport-relatedproducts(e.g. food, vehicles), is the “uncertainty of game outcomes” (Mason 1999, 405).
Uncertainty is essential for the emotional discharges that evoke sport environments, for we cannot
explain risk through logical means. Thus, a league controls a monopoly of consumer self-induced
uncertainty by creating environments of controlled risk and competitiveness: “while there are clearly
aestheticpleasuresinmerely watching a sport performance, the real intensity comes from identifying
withan individual orteamas theystrive towin” (Mason 1999, 403). In line with this rationale, wins and
lossesare meaninglesstoconsumerswithoutthe escalatingtensionsthat precede them; uncertainty to
any degree of intensity – from novice to die-hard fans – is the source of this “hedonistic experience”
(Mason 1999, 405).
Withthe ominousglobalization phenomenon, the league product cannot stand by itself in the
world market – or any market at all –, for leagues “compete for those consumers who could choose to
attend other entertainment options available” (Mason 1999, 406). Thus, a marketer like the NBA has
engagedinseveral worldwide,expandingventurestoensure the prevalence of theirbasketball product:
“The league has established a major international presence with offices in 13 markets
worldwide, games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and NBA
merchandise forsale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters
at the start of the 2014-15 seasonfeaturedarecord101 internationalplayers from 37 countries
and territories” (“About the NBA”)
In the past years,the league hasreliedonavarietyof commercializationschemes,includingrelationship
marketing.IrwinandSuttondefinethe formeras“an integratedeffort to identify, maintain and build a

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network of consumers and to continue to strengthen the network (…) through interactive,
individualized, and value-added contacts over a long time” (Irwin and Sutton 2002, 6). In other words,
thisstrategy consistsinidentifyingatargetmarket of potential consumerswho share a common trait or
feature (e.g.nationality),andreachingout to them by appealing to that sense of commonness. Among
the many remarks of the NBA’s mission statement, the following resembles in the most accurate
manner the league’s prospects of relationship marketing:
The ongoingemotional connectiontoourfanswill be enhancedbythe dynamicgame and arena
experience and the communication of that experience through all forms of media and
entertainment(…), we understand that the popularity and visibility of our teams, players, and
league obligate us (…) [to] use our unique position to bring attention to important issues on a
global scale and work to address them to the best of our ability” (“National Basketball
Association Mission and Values Statement”)
This can be achieved by communicating the desired message through an endorser who shares that
sense of commonnesswiththe targetgroup.The approachof relationshipmarketingrelies substantially
on the credibility of the speaker or sponsor of the product, who, to some degree, also represents the
interests of the target market.
The contemporaryglobalization phenomenon hasexpandedandintensified networks of global
interaction, hence,the leagueshave amplifiedthe coverage of theirproductby“[increasing] viewership
and listenershipona variety of broadcast media” (Fullerton 93). Sports marketers also work to include
the promotion of these marketing strategies, “it is not only those who purchase tickets to a game or
event who are important” (Fullerton and Marz 2008, 93). Irwin and Sutton define sport promotion as
“the deployment of a full set of communication activities intended to persuade consumers toward a
favorable belief oractionasa tactical componentof the overall marketing campaign” (Irwin and Sutton
2002, 3). Moreover,Masonsuggestssportsandmediashare a symbioticrelationshipinwhichboth reap
mutual gains: “sport builds television and other media audiences, while exposure on TV builds an

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audience for the sports industry” (Mason 1999, 410). Thus, the technology of this era has enabled a
further penetration and iteration of marketing messages through the consumer public.
Sports Heroes and Celebrity Endorsers
In either strategy mentioned above, leagues rely on their superstar players to convey the message of
their campaigns. Often, these players are considered sports heroes, a “status given to [those] who
succeed in sport and reaffirm the [cultural] value structure” (Shuart 2007, 128). The impact of these
figuresisassessedintermsof theirlikeabilityandtheircredibilitywithinacommunity.The former refers
to the features of the hero – mostly physical – that are conceived as attractive by modern society and,
thus,are desiredbyothermembersof the community,suchasa particularskill.The latterimplicates the
hero’sintangiblequalities thatmake his accomplishments relatable to the community (e.g. origin), for
“inherentwithheroworshipisastrongidentificationbetween hero and fan” (Shuart 2007, 129). On the
other hand, some scholars suggest that a celebrity endorser is a “well-known person used in
advertisements, whose function it is to sell products” (Shuart 2007, 128). However, this view conflicts
witha hero’scredibility,forhe wouldbe perceivedasa marketingdecoyratherthan a relatable person.
Therefore, Fullerton and Marz propose that a celebrity endorser must be “easily recognized, in part
because theyhave achievedahighstandardof performance”(FullertonandMarz 2008, 105), butalsoas
the credible hero that aims for something more
than just selling a product.
Yao Ming: A National Hero
There is no doubt that the NBA relies heavily on
the image of its All-Stars as part of their global
expansionist venture. However, while there are
particular international players that appeal to certain domestic audiences, there are also others that
Figure 2 Yao Ming leading the Chinese delegation during the
opening ceremonyof the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics (AFP)

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possess a global word-of-mouth influence regardless of origin. In the case of China, “bolstered by the
popularity of Yao, the NBA has come a long way in 20 years. Back then, the NBA didn't even charge
China for broadcast rights. Now more than 450 million people watch the NBA in China and the CBA
estimates300 millionpeople play the sport” (Zhao 2008). During his NBA career, the talented 7’6’’ Yao
Ming wasmore thanjustanotherChinese playerinthe NBA;he wasthe first one to become an All-Star.
Even though his impressive height and skill made him an attractive hero for fans in the US and around
the world,hiscommonnationalitywiththe Chinesepeople made himconvincinglyappealingtothe local
consumer base. Lisa Lin, host of the Chinese show the Ultimate Explorer described Yao as “a source of
unabashedpride”forthe people:“forChina,he encompasseseverythingthat [people] want to be. He's
largerthan life,strong,intelligent,aninternational star, a family man, and a team player. He embodies
much of what China is becoming” (Handwerk 2003). Watching Yao wrestle among different players,
“[led] tomore pride andpatriotismamongtheir[Chinese] citizens (…) through [the] sport” (Graf 2006).
Ever since hisretirementin2011, Yao has beenanambassadorof the league inChina.NBA China’schief
executive David Shoemaker, credited Yao with expanding the interest of the NBA in China while also
educatingfansaboutthe otherqualityplayerswithin the [Chinese Basketball Association]” (Lee 2013).
Eventhoughhe no longerwears an NBA jersey or steps on a nightly basis into a court, Yao has not only
identifiedandbuiltanetworkof consumers,but,asnotedby formerNBA Commissioner Stern, has also
served as a “bridge between Chinese and American fans” (Li and Liang 2013).His sole presence and
endorsementallowedtoconsolidate whatShoemakercallsa“more sophisticatedanddiverse”fanbase:
“theyno longercheerforany one playerorfor that matter,anyone team” (Lee 2013). Hence, although
the Chinese audience can no longer cheer for Yao, they have become part of the market of the
“uncertainty of game outcomes” and the emotions it produces.

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The Other Face of Beijing2008: The Chinese GovernmentanditsInterests
The Chinese government saw in Yao Ming’s potential success in the US a risk worth taking to
“commercialize the sports industry” (Barboza 2008) and “to build nationalism through sports” (Graf
2006). In 2002, the prodigious center officially secured his trip to American courts, after the NBA, the
HoustonRocketsand the Chinese authority“brokeredadeal thatwouldbenefit [China] financially and,
more importantly, grow their country's basketball program” (Graf 2006). The financial sacrifice the
player would endure through the rest of his career as he “[turned] over at least half their pretax
earnings,includingendorsementincome,toChinese government agencies” (Smith and Wise 2002) was
worththe fulfillmentof playing in the temple of basketball. Nonetheless, “the government benefited
more than just monetarily from their decision to release Ming to the United States” (Graf 2006). Yao’s
successinthe NBA certainlyboostedthe nation’s pride and public spirit, but, moreover, it contributed
immenselytothe government’sprojectof international openness – which included the bid for the 2008
SummerOlympics.AccordingtoAnthropologyProfessorSusanBrownell,“Chinabegan promotingsports
in this era because it was one of the few diplomatic channels open to [the world]” (Paul 2009). The
spectacularrealizationof the BeijingOlympicsrepresentedthe potential of the Chinese sports industry
as well as a reward for the government’s investment. In this case, the government’s partnership with
Figure 3 Outside andinternal views of the Wukesong Arena (Beijing’s Olympic basketball stadium), nowcalled MasterCard
Center, which former NBA Commissioner DavidStern qualifiedas the first “NBA-standardarena” in China (Photos by China
Sports Review and Eric Draper)

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the NBA,where bothpursuedthe objectiveof magnifyingthe fans’ sensations as it they were watching
an NBA game: “the Olympictournamentwill have adecidedlyNBA flavorasBeijingorganizersasked the
league to bring its mix of loud music and flashing scoreboards to the Wukesong Indoor Stadium, the
Olympicvenue.NBA officials have even trained cheerleaders” (Zhao 2008). Basketball was a notorious
highlight of the victory mix, as suggested by USA Basketball chairman and director Jerry Colangelo:
“It’s going to elevate the image of basketball worldwide. It was one of the great games of all-
time in Olympic history. The quality and caliber of player in this championship game was
extraordinary. The bar has been raised, and it’s going to be even better next time around.”
(Thamel 2008)
Afterthisaccomplishment,the NBA evenprojectedtocreate a replica of the American league in China,
withan equivalentlevelof competitiveness. Nonetheless, although the Chinese administration took a
huge step from its initial posture towards economic and cultural liberalization in 2002 – the Yao Ming
settlement –, they are not prepared to let go of their sports monopoly. As mentioned by Xu Jicheng, a
formerChinese nationalteamplayer,with sports reform in China just a decade old, it was unclear how
much of a financial interest the government would allow the N.B.A. to have in the Chinese league, in
whichmanyof the teamsare state-owned”(Thamel 2008).In a similarmanner to Yao’s rookie year, the
government’s interests remain as the ceiling for the NBA’s China venture. Yet, its cooperation and
support in a juncture moment like the Olympics proved they want play part of the game for social
change through basketball.
Foreign Idols and Beijing 2008: Kobe Bryant and Team USA
The Chinese audience’s transition from the cult of Yao to the commendation of NBA basketball
facilitatedthe popularizationof otherAll-Stars. The most notorious case is Kobe Bryant (Figure 3), who
Chinese sportscommentatorYuJia“ranked(…) as the second-mostpopularathlete inChinabehindonly
Yao Ming” (Medina2013). Kobe hasbeenone of the few athletestoovercome the barrierof nationality
and cultural differences,for,withinamature and knowledgeable and appreciative basketball fan base,

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he has become “more popular than Rockets
guard Jeremy Lin, the first American-born NBA
player of Taiwanese descent, because of his
longevity and superior talent” (Medina 2013).
Sports marketing consultant David Carter
proposesthe followingassessment of the Black
Mamba’s status in China:
“Kobe’s team understands that to build that brand and be embraced by any culture requires a
credible comprehensiveapproach.He’sgettingthatwiththe NBA’sinitiatives,the Lakers’global
brand andhisown internationalbusiness projects. That’s what sets him apart. Obviously there
are a lotof playerswhocoulddoexactly that, but they lack the athletic prowess that Kobe has.
You have to have the entire package.” (Medina 2013)
Bryant’sunquestionabletalent on the court projected to the heights of his career’s accomplishments–
includingbutnotlimitedtofive NBA Championships –enable aplayerof his caliber to turn into a heroic
figure, with characteristics that insightful basketball audiences find attractive and even exemplary.
However,howdoesaforeignathlete becomeas popular as the Chinese sport national heroes? In lines
with the theory of relationship marketing, Kobe “continue to strengthen [his] network [of followers]
throughinteractive, individualized,andvalue-added contacts over a long time” (Irwin and Sutton 2002,
6). During one of his trips, Bryan told reporters in China: “When I came out here, the reaction and
passion they have for the game, it is fun to be around. It is like teaching the game and people want to
learn and have a thirst for it. Because of that, I started coming back” (Medina 2013). Thus, Bryant’s
likeability and credibility have not only empowered him with a major word-of-mouth endorsing
influence,butalsointo areliable advocate of the Chineseandotherinternational audiences in the NBA.
No wonderwhy“Bryanthas boasted the NBA’s highest-selling jersey in China for six of the past seven
years” (Medina 2013).
Figure 4 A swarmingcrowdwelcomes Kobe inone his trips to
China in2012 (AssociatedPress)

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Althoughtoa slightlysmallerdegreethanKobe,the restof NBA All-Starshave receivedasimilar
reverence bythe Chinesepublic.Inthe 2008 BeijingOlympics,duringapractice session,Miami Heatand
Team USA superstar confessed to the press his perception of the event’s atmosphere: “we have been
treated like rock stars here [in China]” (Barboza 2008). The NBA superstars from Team USA were
perceived as a reincarnation of the 1992 Dream Team:
“On a recent visit to China, James was not allowed to leave the DoubleTree Hotel in Beijing
withoutgovernmentsecuritybecauseof the crushof crowds.Bryant receivedone of the biggest
cheersof any athlete atthe openingceremonyonFriday.Dwyane Wade, who has played in the
Final Four and the N.B.A. finals, said the crowd outside the team hotel in China two years ago
was the biggest scene he had experienced in his career” (Thamel 2008)
In a similarwayto Bryant,the assortment of talent in the American team was highly recognized by the
educatedandsophisticatedlocal supporters. Brooklyn Nets star point guard and member of Team USA
DeronWilliamsexpressedhowhe was“shockedtosee how profoundlythe Chinese people understand
the game, ‘evidenced [for example] by them cheering for hustle plays’” (Yan 2014).The global
communion of NBA Basketball has transcended national and cultural differences, as shown by the
growing international image of its skillful and competitive players. This buildup has even reached the
Figure 5 Team USA players saluting the crowd after defeatingSpain in the final game of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (Garrett
Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images)

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new generations of players, as Sacramento Kings’ guard Ben McLemore pointed out to the local press
during his team’s trip to Shanghai in 2014: “the fans here are incredible, and the game is so big. Fan
Appreciation Night was crazy. It was just something for us to interact with the fans, not even a game,
and it was amazing to have so many come out just for that” (Melnicoe 2014). With the connection of
cosmopolitan crowds through the NBA stars, the league has disseminated the intoxicating emotions
provoked the ambivalent results of the nightly clash of giants in American courts and, even now, in
international arenas.
The League and the Superstars Together: “Where Amazing Happens”
Providedthatthe global viewerbase substantiallyexceedsthe seatingcapacityof any stadium, the NBA
has concentrated its efforts on translating the most of the feelings inside the game arena to other
settings. Even though the NBA’s relationship marketing relies heavily on its superstars’ involvement
Video 1 First commercial of the "Where Amazing Happens" campaign:"Anticipation."
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZRX9PvX728&list=PLC237754024C47991&index=1)

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abroad,the league alsoemploysthe contemporarymassive broadcastingmethodstopromote its“core”
product. One of the most successful campaigns was “Where Amazing Happens,” used to promote the
2006-2007 season:
The picture slidesdownfromaplayer holdingdelicatelythe basketball abovehim.He issquared
up,and hisarms are flexed at a right angle, aiming towards a target. As the frame continues to
move downwardsandthe camerazooms outof the ball,the surroundings start to get more and
more obscure, with some intermittent lights, maybe cameras, flashing randomly across an
obscure veil. Suddenly, the player’s face is revealed: it is none other than Kobe Bryant. The
superstarisengagingina risingshotmotion,almostatthe perfectpointof release. At the same
time, his defender raises his hands and jumps to contest the shot, but there is no way he will
make it on time. The smooth pace of the background piano sonata collaborates to the gradual
yetincomplete releaseof tensionsof the players’ progressionof movement. Nonetheless, they
seemstuck,frozenintime, waiting to make something happen as agents of their own destiny.
Will itbe a game-winningshot or a championship-losing miss? It is amazing how uncertain it is
until it happens. (Video notes, April 10, 2015)
The whole ad lasts for thirty seconds, yet just in that infinitesimal snapshot embodies the underlying
power that defies any human controlled parameters. The presentation of this instant in slow motion
evokes vacillating tension in the viewers, for the event seems to be forced to stop upon the climactic
resolution. This controlled manipulation of time and space may permit the audience to feel as a first-
handed spectator of this decisive moment, thus going through the league’s core product induced
hedonistic drive, as highlighted by Mason. Canadian author and NBA fan Pasha Malla expresses his
impressions during this particular scene that the advertisement portrays, the game Kobe scored 81
points against the raptors:
What I find most encouraging about the NBA is that often the most special, jaw-dropping
momentsoccurnot in the All-StarGame,thatalways-lacklustershowcase of unimpeded missed
dunks,butin momentswhere the defense has stepped up, and the league’s great athletes are
forced to make great plays (Malla 2008)
An advertisementlike this,where the epicandthe unexpectedare proclaimed, may generate a channel
between the audience and the protagonist player – in this case Kobe –, and intensify the self-
identification process between fans and their sports hero. The enhancement of this type of fervor is
beingreflectedinthe perceptions of fans around the globe. For example, in a poll conducted by China

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Daily before the Beijing Olympics opening matchup between the US and China, “76 percent of
respondentssaidtheywouldprefertosee a difficultmatch-upagainstthe US than to see China achieve
a better result against an easier opponent” (Zhao 2008). Fans all around the world are increasingly
demanding exceptional basketball over win-loss statistics, for they have become sophisticated and
knowledgeable about the sports, and they have a keen eye for talent and a much more enthusiastic
desire forimmemorialperformancesof those talentedplayers.Thisshiftcouldyieldapositive response
duringthe NBA’srelationshipmarketingattemptsthroughstarplayersandthe sponsorshipof the game
itself, since the global consumer fan feels more closely related to the core league product and its
celebrity endorsers.
Conclusion
So far,the NBA’smarketingstrategyhasbeenable toconsolidateanincipientinternational audience,by
expandingtheiractivitiesinChinaandEurope ina firststage.Inthe particularcase of the Asian country,
evidence shows that Yao Ming’s remarkable NBA career allowed him to reach the status of a national
sports hero, which converted him into a potential celebrity endorser of the NBA’s “core product.”
Consequently, the relationship marketing scheme succeeded not only in granting the in NBA-quality
basketball as a promising commodity in the entertainment market, but also at “[strengthening] the
[consumer] network(…) throughinteractive,individualized,andvalue-added contacts over a long time”
(IrwinandSutton2002, 6). Thisprocesscan be eitherhinderedorfacilitatedbythe foreigngovernments
as portrayedinthe Chinese government’s ambiguous case – they constrained Yao’s departure in 2002,
yet they planned a massive worldwide sports exhibition for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Nonetheless,althoughinternationalplayershave asizable impactontheircountry’sviewership,
these athletes will retire at some point in their careers and their audiences could not have a familiar
figure tosupport.Thus,the prevalence of these foreign fan bases depends upon creating Shoemaker’s

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“sophisticatedanddiverse”fanbase: theynolongerlimitto cheer for a fond player, but, in addition to
that, findthemselvesattractedtothe emotionsliberatedbythe “uncertaintyof game outcomes.”In Kiri
Miller’sPlaying Along:DigitalGames,YouTube,and VirtualPerformance,she makesasimilardistinction
of videogame users as either “passive recipients of perception’– manipulated by advertisers—or as
‘active originatorsof experience”1
(Miller2012, 81). Thistheoretical framework may apply to the NBA’s
goal to transforma groupof passive andoccasional consumers,whomerely follow their national idols,
intoa loyal and active fanbase,concernedaboutoriginatingtheir own experiences through the means
dispensed by the league.
The evolutiontowardsasophisticatedand mature fan base is conspicuous at the moment they
start feeling captivated by other teams and players with outstanding performance, and start idolizing
them as much as their local heroes. The cases of Kobe Bryant and the rest of American All-Stars
evidence this change of perception of the game, which may not only be influenced by national
emotions, but also – at least to a greater extent – by apprehension of and passion for the game itself.
Thus, after this evolution of mindset, the NBA acquires a wider deployment of All-Star ambassadors.
These contribute to and intensify its relationship marketing and endorsement strategies, for the fans
beholdthemasfigurestheycanidentifywithand aspire toemulate.Furthermore,theyalso collaborate
to the evolution of the contemporary fan, from an innocent follower to a dynamic and insightful
individual. This homo novus may boost NBA basketball to transcend from a coveted product of the
entertainment market into a global cultural asset – with further coverage to other parts of the world
such as Latin America, Africa and the rest of Asia. After retiring from basketball, Yao left behind the
followingoptimisticassurance:“The NBA survivedbefore me.Ithinkthe league will survive again after I
leave”(Lee 2013). Eventhoughoutstandingplayerscome and go, the global survival and success of the
NBA lays in the best hands, those of loyal fans avid for competition.
1 Based on Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

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