NBA, Tsingtao Team To Launch Cheerleading Reality Show In China

The NBA and China-based Tsingtao Brewery, are "poised to launch a cheerleading competition show" on China Central Television's (CCTV) sports channel, CCTV-5, according to Jonathan Landreth of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The show, which is part of the multi-year strategic partnership signed last year between the NBA and Tsingtao, will send the winners to the U.S. "to train with an NBA dance squad." Su Ling, who is producing the show, said that the "first of nine episodes will air May 9, at the end of a week-long national holiday." She added that each episode "will focus on 'NBA culture ... Michael Jordan, the Lakers and basketball history,'" as well as the actual competition. Su and a group of CCTV producers are scheduled to meet with Tsingtao and NBA China execs "to discuss details of the show's format and choose the show's host." The show will be called "Qing Wu Men," which roughly translates to "Young Dance Stage," and Su said that Tsingtao will "cover 70% of production costs." CCTV-5 CEO Jiang Heping, who led the net's coverage of the '08 Beijing Games, said that the show "will be the first of two such cheerleading shows the state-run broadcast network will air in the coming year." Landreth notes Su and China Sports Promotion also will "produce a second cheerleading show for CCTV-5 targeting the audience for the 2010 Asian Games in November next year in Guangzhou" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/1).