Reaching for the Stars

Poch15

Three years ago, in celebration of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics Dream Team, ESPN launched a documentary film that began with the following statement: Never before and never again will 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 ONeal 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 American All-Stars could match the Dream Teams accomplishments. Among the disputable criteria level of competitiveness, athleticism, in-game domination, etc. , the global footprint left the 1992 team remains unmatched according to the majority of basketball analysts and sports writers:Figure1 The 1992 Dream Team during award ceremony, where they earned the gold medal after beating Croatia in the finals (AFP)

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. They sparked an interest in basketball that continues to impact the NBA on and off the court. (AP Online, September 15, 2014)The Dream Teams performance during the Olympics astounded the world of sports on an unprecedented scale. The alien encounter of amateurish players from different countries with the United States finest professionals culminated with the total domination of 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 returned home to compete with the 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 provided basketball fans around the world with a sight of the sports maximum level of competition, and gave them a taste of the escalating tension of buzzer-beaters, the empowering emotions of dunks and the releasing climax of victories. Aware of the on-going globalization of NBA basketball, the leagues executive offices ceased 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:David Stern [NBA commissioner from 1984 to 2014] recognized this opportunity ahead of most as he focused on international 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 leagues marketing campaigns? This investigation answers these two fundamental questions about the NBAs globalization phenomenon with a comprehensive approach of its sport marketing strategies, sociological factors and cultural implications.This paper develops on the works of Frey and Eitzen to address the fundamental importance of sports in culture and society, while Nauright proposes a diversity of insights on its economic and traditional development through globalization. Along with the sociological standpoint, Irwin and Sutton set the basic theoretical framework of business marketing strategies commonly find in the sports market , such as relationship marketing and its promotion to costumers. Moreover, Fullerton and Marz dredge through these basic foundations by narrowing the subject to sports marketing and, also, expanding on the use of the previous scheme within the field of professional sports. 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 audiences perception of likeability and credibility of such figures. Finally, this framework is applied to the case of the NBAs expansion in 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 (Frey and Eitzen 1991, 504). Even though the environment around sports juxtaposes with that of the office or workplace, they both feature underlying patterns of interaction among individuals: group dynamics, goal attainment by social organization and 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 romantic ideational cultural fixation that sport does. No other activity so paradoxically combines the serious with the frivolous, playfulness with intensity and the ideological with the structural (Frey and Eitzen 1991, 504) The setting of sports can be valued as the site that illustrates almost to perfection the whole picture of human nature, where the logical and emotional identities can coexist without an overwhelming effort to suppress one another. Thus, individuals may be attracted to sports not only as a social activity, but also as a relieving opportunity for personal introspection. From a group perspective, the association of individuals who share similar views or perspectives transforms them into agents within the institution of 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, sporting events are about much more than merely boosting tourism, local investment and employment, however. They can provide opportunities to challenge dominant social structures (Nauright 2010). However, some scholars debate that the local cultural aspect is often and ultimately exacerbated by the global consumption impulse: traditional cultural and ideological elements exert an influence in the short term, butare typically rendered impotent in the face of relentless economic forces (Nauright 2010). Further research is needed to address the tug-of-war between 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).Marketing the Sports ProductThe market of sports has grown in such a massive dimension that it now integrates all types of 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 that is not intervened by other sport-related (e.g. apparel, footwear) or non-sport-related products (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 aesthetic pleasures in merely watching a sport performance, the real intensity comes from identifying with an individual or team as they strive to win (Mason 1999, 403). In line with this rationale, wins and losses are meaningless to consumers without the escalating tensions that precede them; uncertainty to any degree of intensity from novice to die-hard fans is the source of this hedonistic experience (Mason 1999, 405). With the ominous globalization 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 engaged in several worldwide, expanding ventures to ensure the prevalence of their basketball 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 for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2014-15 season featured a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories (About the NBA)In the past years, the league has relied on a variety of commercialization schemes, including relationship marketing. Irwin and Sutton define the former as an integrated effort to identify, maintain and build a 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, this strategy consists in identifying a target market of potential consumers who share a common trait or feature (e.g. nationality), and reaching out to them by appealing to that sense of commonness. Among the many remarks of the NBAs mission statement, the following resembles in the most accurate manner the leagues prospects of relationship marketing:The ongoing emotional connection to our fans will be enhanced by the dynamic game 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 commonness with the target group. The approach of relationship marketing relies 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 contemporary globalization phenomenon has expanded and intensified networks of global interaction, hence, the leagues have amplified the coverage of their product by [increasing] viewership and listenership on a 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 or action as a tactical component of the overall marketing campaign (Irwin and Sutton 2002, 3). Moreover, Mason suggests sports and media share a symbiotic relationship in which both reap mutual gains: sport builds television and other media audiences, while exposure on TV builds an 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 EndorsersIn 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 figures is assessed in terms of their likeability and their credibility within a community. The former refers to the features of the hero mostly physical that are conceived as attractive by modern society and, thus, are desired by other members of the community, such as a particular skill. The latter implicates the heros intangible qualities that make his accomplishments relatable to the community (e.g. origin), for inherent with hero worship is a strong identification between 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 with a heros credibility, for he would be perceived as a marketing decoy rather than a relatable person. Therefore, Fullerton and Marz propose that a celebrity endorser must be easily recognized, in part because they have achieved a high standard of performance (Fullerton and Marz 2008, 105), but also as the credible hero that aims for something more than just selling a product. Yao Ming: A National HeroThere 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 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 estimates 300 million people play the sport (Zhao 2008). During his NBA career, the talented 76 Yao Ming was more than just another Chinese player in the NBA; he was the 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, his common nationality with the Chinese people made him convincingly appealing to the local consumer base. Lisa Lin, host of the Chinese show the Ultimate Explorer described Yao as a source of unabashed pride for the people: for China, he encompasses everything that [people] want to be. He's larger than life, strong, intelligent, an international 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] to more pride and patriotism among their [Chinese] citizens () through [the] sport (Graf 2006). Ever since his retirement in 2011, Yao has been an ambassador of the league in China. NBA Chinas chief executive David Shoemaker, credited Yao with expanding the interest of the NBA in China while also educating fans about the other quality players within the [Chinese Basketball Association] (Lee 2013). Even though he no longer wears an NBA jersey or steps on a nightly basis into a court, Yao has not only identified and built a network of consumers, but, as noted by former NBA Commissioner Stern, has also served as a bridgebetweenChineseandAmerican fans (Li and Liang 2013).His sole presence and endorsement allowed to consolidate what Shoemaker calls a more sophisticated and diverse fan base: they no longer cheer for any one player or for that matter, any one 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. Figure 2 Yao Ming leading the Chinese delegation during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics (AFP)

The Other Face of Beijing 2008: The Chinese Government and its InterestsFigure 3 Outside and internal views of the Wukesong Arena (Beijings Olympic basketball stadium), now called MasterCard Center, which former NBA Commissioner David Stern qualified as the first NBA-standard arena in China (Photos by China Sports Review and Eric Draper)

The Chinese government saw in Yao Mings 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 Houston Rockets and the Chinese authority brokered a deal that would benefit [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, including endorsement income, to Chinese government agencies (Smith and Wise 2002) was worth the fulfillment of 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). Yaos success in the NBA certainly boosted the nations pride and public spirit, but, moreover, it contributed immensely to the governments project of international openness which included the bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics. According to Anthropology Professor Susan Brownell, China began promoting sports in this era because it was one of the few diplomatic channels open to [the world] (Paul 2009). The spectacular realization of the Beijing Olympics represented the potential of the Chinese sports industry as well as a reward for the governments investment. In this case, the governments partnership with the NBA, where both pursued the objective of magnifying the fans sensations as it they were watching an NBA game: the Olympic tournament will have a decidedly NBA flavor as Beijing organizers asked the league to bring its mix of loud music and flashing scoreboards to the Wukesong Indoor Stadium, the Olympic venue. 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: Its 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 its going to be even better next time around. (Thamel 2008)After this accomplishment, the NBA even projected to create a replica of the American league in China, with an equivalent level of 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 former Chinese national team player, 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 which many of the teams are state-owned (Thamel 2008). In a similar manner to Yaos rookie year, the governments interests remain as the ceiling for the NBAs 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 USAThe Chinese audiences transition from the cult of Yao to the commendation of NBA basketball facilitated the popularization of other All-Stars. The most notorious case is Kobe Bryant (Figure 3), who Chinese sports commentator Yu Jia ranked () as the second-most popular athlete in China behind only Yao Ming (Medina 2013). Kobe has been one of the few athletes to overcome the barrier of nationality and cultural differences, for, within a mature and knowledgeable and appreciative basketball fan base, 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 proposes the following assessment of the Black Mambas status in China:Figure 4 A swarming crowd welcomes Kobe in one his trips to China in 2012 (Associated Press)

Kobes team understands that to build that brand and be embraced by any culture requires a credible comprehensive approach. Hes getting that with the NBAs initiatives, the Lakers global brand and his own international business projects. Thats what sets him apart. Obviously there are a lot of players who could do exactly that, but they lack the athletic prowess that Kobe has. You have to have the entire package. (Medina 2013)Bryants unquestionable talent on the court projected to the heights of his careers accomplishments including but not limited to five NBA Championships enable a player of his caliber to turn into a heroic figure, with characteristics that insightful basketball audiences find attractive and even exemplary. However, how does a foreign athlete become as popular as the Chinese sport national heroes? In lines with the theory of relationship marketing, Kobe continue to strengthen [his] network [of followers] through interactive, individualized, and value-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, Bryants likeability and credibility have not only empowered him with a major word-of-mouth endorsing influence, but also into a reliable advocate of the Chinese and other international audiences in the NBA. No wonder why Bryant has boasted the NBAs highest-selling jersey in China for six of the past seven years (Medina 2013). Although to a slightly smaller degree than Kobe, the rest of NBA All-Stars have received a similar reverence by the Chinese public. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, during a practice session, Miami Heat and Team USA superstar confessed to the press his perception of the events 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:Figure 5 Team USA players saluting the crowd after defeating Spain in the final game of the 2008 Beijing Olympics (Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images)

On a recent visit to China, James was not allowed to leave the DoubleTree Hotel in Beijing without government security because of the crush of crowds. Bryant received one of the biggest cheers of any athlete at the opening ceremony on Friday. 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 similar way to Bryant, the assortment of talent in the American team was highly recognized by the educated and sophisticated local supporters. Brooklyn Nets star point guard and member of Team USA Deron Williams expressed how he was shocked to see how profoundly the 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 new generations of players, as Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore pointed out to the local press during his teams 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. Video 1 First commercial of the "Where Amazing Happens" campaign: "Anticipation." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZRX9PvX728&list=PLC237754024C47991&index=1)

The League and the Superstars Together: Where Amazing HappensProvided that the global viewer base substantially exceeds the seating capacity of 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 NBAs relationship marketing relies heavily on its superstars involvement abroad, the league also employs the contemporary massive broadcasting methods to promote its core product. One of the most successful campaigns was Where Amazing Happens, used to promote the 2006-2007 season:The picture slides down from a player holding delicately the basketball above him. He is squared up, and his arms are flexed at a right angle, aiming towards a target. As the frame continues to move downwards and the camera zooms out of 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 players face is revealed: it is none other than Kobe Bryant. The superstar is engaging in a rising shot motion, almost at the perfect point of 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 yet incomplete release of tensions of the players progression of movement. Nonetheless, they seem stuck, frozen in time, waiting to make something happen as agents of their own destiny. Will it be a game-winning shot 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 leagues 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 moments occur not in the All-Star Game, that always-lackluster showcase of unimpeded missed dunks, but in moments where the defense has stepped up, and the leagues great athletes are forced to make great plays (Malla 2008)An advertisement like this, where the epic and the unexpected are 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 being reflected in the perceptions of fans around the globe. For example, in a poll conducted by China Daily before the Beijing Olympics opening matchup between the US and China, 76 percent of respondents said they would prefer to see a difficult match-up against the 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 for immemorial performances of those talented players. This shift could yield a positive response during the NBAs relationship marketing attempts through star players and the sponsorship of the game itself, since the global consumer fan feels more closely related to the core league product and its celebrity endorsers. ConclusionSo far, the NBAs marketing strategy has been able to consolidate an incipient international audience, by expanding their activities in China and Europe in a first stage. In the particular case of the Asian country, evidence shows that Yao Mings remarkable NBA career allowed him to reach the status of a national sports hero, which converted him into a potential celebrity endorser of the NBAs 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 () through interactive, individualized, and value-added contacts over a long time (Irwin and Sutton 2002, 6). This process can be either hindered or facilitated by the foreign governments as portrayed in the Chinese governments ambiguous case they constrained Yaos departure in 2002, yet they planned a massive worldwide sports exhibition for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Nonetheless, although international players have a sizable impact on their countrys viewership, these athletes will retire at some point in their careers and their audiences could not have a familiar figure to support. Thus, the prevalence of these foreign fan bases depends upon creating Shoemakers sophisticated and diverse fan base: they no longer limit to cheer for a fond player, but, in addition to that, find themselves attracted to the emotions liberated by the uncertainty of game outcomes. In Kiri Millers Playing Along: Digital Games, YouTube, and Virtual Performance, she makes a similar distinction of videogame users as either passive recipients of perception manipulated by advertisersor as active originators of experience[footnoteRef:1] (Miller 2012, 81). This theoretical framework may apply to the NBAs goal to transform a group of passive and occasional consumers, who merely follow their national idols, into a loyal and active fan base, concerned about originating their own experiences through the means dispensed by the league. [1: Based on Immanuel Kants Critique of Pure Reason.]

The evolution towards a sophisticated and 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 behold them as figures they can identify with and aspire to emulate. Furthermore, they also 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 following optimistic assurance: The NBA survived before me. I think the league will survive again after I leave (Lee 2013). Even though outstanding players come and go, the global survival and success of the NBA lays in the best hands, those of loyal fans avid for competition.Reference ListBarboza, David. "Chinas Promise Excites the Sports Stars." The New York Times, August 26, 2008. Accessed April 14, 2015. Bernard, Linda D. The Globalization of the NBA. Michigan Chronicle, Apr 16, 2003. Accessed April 12, 2015 Frey, James H., and D. Stanley Eitzen. "Sport And Society." Annual Review of Sociology 17 (1991): 503-22. Print.Fullerton, Sam, and G. Russell Marz. 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