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1. Feeling bad about this article about the NBA and China? Uh... let me make you feel a little bit worse.
Because China just woke up to this article a couple of hours ago. Here's what I think is going to happen. /thread https://twitter.com/Kungu_NBA/status/1288612040836349962
Because China just woke up to this article a couple of hours ago. Here's what I think is going to happen. /thread https://twitter.com/Kungu_NBA/status/1288612040836349962
2. China is not going to be pleased that ESPN ran this article. At all.
At a minimum they are going to demand repercussions against the journalists who wrote it. Beyond that, they might pressure the NBA not to renew its TV contract with ESPN in 2025.
At a minimum they are going to demand repercussions against the journalists who wrote it. Beyond that, they might pressure the NBA not to renew its TV contract with ESPN in 2025.
3. Mark Tatum was very careful, but regardless, he spoke to ESPN for he article.
Would it be at all surprising if China demands that he lose his job?
Would it be at all surprising if China demands that he lose his job?
4. Moreover, let’s parse Tatum’s quotes. He at least implies that:
- human rights abuses do exist in Xinjiang
- Chinese officials lies to the NBA re: schooling
- Chinese coaching practices are “antithetical” to NBA values.
All are going to be unacceptable to Chinese authorities
- human rights abuses do exist in Xinjiang
- Chinese officials lies to the NBA re: schooling
- Chinese coaching practices are “antithetical” to NBA values.
All are going to be unacceptable to Chinese authorities
5. Most likely, Beijing is on the phone right now demanding repercussions against ESPN/Mark Tatum, and threatening Moreygate: Episode 2 if the NBA doesn't comply.
How does the NBA respond when they're already looking at an unprecedented revenue catastrophe due to the pandemic?
How does the NBA respond when they're already looking at an unprecedented revenue catastrophe due to the pandemic?
6. If China has learned anything from the Morey backlash they'll be smart about it. Tatum could leave in a year or two for some "exciting new opportunity." ESPN's contract would just quietly not be renewed in 2025.
None of us would ever find out that anything happened.
None of us would ever find out that anything happened.
7. The NBA illustrates the pitfalls of making your business model reliant on access to the Chinese market. That money was never yours to begin with.
They will threaten to take it away at every opportunity. It's just a matter of how low you're willing to go before you break.
They will threaten to take it away at every opportunity. It's just a matter of how low you're willing to go before you break.
8. Can US consumers convince the NBA to stand up to China? Probably not. Even if some outrage (it would have to be much worse than this) caused a boycott, only a small fraction would participate
Chinese capital moves as a single unit. They have a spear, we have a box of tacks.
Chinese capital moves as a single unit. They have a spear, we have a box of tacks.
9. We built up a system of international capitalism where everybody buys and sells from everyone else everywhere
China figured out a cheat code: total control at home. Leverage that in the free market abroad.
I don't know what you do about this. The NBA is just one small piece.
China figured out a cheat code: total control at home. Leverage that in the free market abroad.
I don't know what you do about this. The NBA is just one small piece.
