NBA Houston Rockets Sign On East West Bank To Play Off Of Its Asian Following

The NBA Houston Rockets signed a three-year marketing agreement with East West Bank in "the latest association" between the team and a company with operations in China, according to Nancy Kercheval of BLOOMBERG. The agreement, "which gives East West in-arena and on-air exposure to fans" through the '14 season, comes two months after the Rockets added Asian-American Jeremy Lin to their roster. Houston entered deals with Asian companies after signing Chinese center Yao Ming in '02, and Japan-based Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest automaker, put its name on the team’s arena when it opened in '03. Rockets CEO Tad Brown said in a statement: "Over the past decade, the Rockets have developed and established an international following, particularly throughout Asia. This partnership with East West Bank, a leader in the international banking community, will add to that global presence." East West Bank is headquartered in Pasadena, California and has branches throughout the U.S. and China (BLOOMBERG, 9/20).