The Houston Rockets will play the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday
night, and the game is expected to generate record TV ratings in
China.
Yao Ming (L) from Houston Rockets and Yi
Jianlian from Milwaukee pose for a photo by holding a basketball on
a press conference Nov. 9, 2007.(Xinhua Photo)
Yao Ming (L) from Houston Rockets and Yi
Jianlian from Milwaukee pose for a photo Nov. 9, 2007.(Xinhua
Photo)
Website cn.yahoo.com Friday quoted AP as saying, 16 to 19 TV
stations in China are expected to broadcast the game live on the
Chinese mainland, including the national sports channel, China
Central Television 5. It is estimated that more than 200 million
fans will enjoy the game.
China Daily also quoted a sports writer who covers the Rockets
for Titan Sports, a Beijing-based newspaper and says, it's China's
two best basketball players coming to play in the best basketball
league in the world. "It doesn't matter who wins. It's the best
thing that can happen in China, because people will be excited
either way," the sports writer says.
"The numbers are just extraordinary," Heidi Ueberroth, the NBA's
president of global marketing partnerships and international
business operations told the Titan Sports writer. "It's very
significant. It's showing how much the globalization of the league
is on the rise."
But both Yao and Yi really see things in perspective regarding
their upcoming game. "I just play the game on the court. I don't
know what the fans think about the game, but I know they are
excited, very excited" Yao said.
Meanwhile Yi, nicknamed 'A-lian', said it was just another NBA
game.
(CRI.cn November 10, 2007)
