SportsBusiness Daily — Sports Business Resources — your sports business news and information source. Learn More
Advanced
Home About Us Advertise With Us Marketplace/Classifieds College & University Program Subscribe/Trial My Account

Thursday
October 9, 2008
Print This Issue


 
MOST VIEWED STORIES
View the top 20 stories
 
Recent Issues
Franchises

Nets Looking To Attract Larger Chinese Fan Base With Yi Jianlian

Nets Employing Yi, Special
Promos To Attract Chinese Fans
The Nets are hopeful that F Yi Jianlian "connects with the nearly 650,000 Chinese-Americans in the New York area and beyond, reeling in a coveted new fan base," according to Jonathan Abrams of the N.Y. TIMES. The Nets have been "carefully researching how best to reach their new audience in the most meaningful and lucrative way." The Nets' Web site can now be viewed in "simplified and traditional Chinese, with nearly 30[%] of its traffic originating in Southeast Asia," and round-trip buses "are being scheduled for games from Manhattan's Chinatown to the Izod Center" in Newark. The Nets this season are offering a four-game ticket package "aimed at the Chinese-American community," with opponents in the plan including the Rockets and Lakers, who feature Chinese players C Yao Ming and G Sun Yue, respectively. Also, "about 50 games are scheduled to be televised on China Central Television" this season. Nets President & CEO Brett Yormark said, "We think we have a story to tell to the Chinese-American community, which we didn't have before, but it's not one that we want to go out there and exploit. We don't think that's the appropriate way. We've got to earn it." Yormark recently returned from Shanghai and Beijing, where he held "28 meetings in a five-day span with Chinese businessmen and witnessed firsthand basketball's popularity in China." Yormark also said that he has "talked with officials" from the Rockets on how they have marketed Yao, as well as with the Bucks, who the Nets acquired Yi from this offseason (N.Y. TIMES, 10/9).


Get A Free Trial To SportsBusiness Daily

Reader Comments

To post comments on this article, log in or register for a free trial.

Related Stories By Company Related Stories By Sport
Arena Truce May Lead To Nets Move
October 23, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Nets May Temporarily Move To Pru Center
October 22, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Nets-Pru Center Games Targeting New Fans
October 20, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Nets Hosting Preseason Game At Pru Center
October 13, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Planned Nets Sale Newest Wrinkle For Club
October 1, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

UCF-Adidas Spat May Head To Court
November 6, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Teams H1N1 Vaccinations Examined
November 6, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

ESPN Interested In March Madness Rights
November 5, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Jordan Wears Nike; adidas Ending UCF Deal
November 5, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

Maple Leafs, Raptors Receive H1N1 Vaccine
November 5, 2009 : SportsBusiness Daily

ALSO IN THIS SECTION


A Publication of Street & Smith's Sports Group.
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (REVISED 2009-06-23) and Privacy Policy (REVISED 2009-06-23).

© 2009 Street & Smith's Sports Group and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Street & Smith's Sports Group.