The 76ers have a uniquely international appeal thanks to foreign-born players like EmbiidNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
The 76ers just prior to the start of the regular season embarked on a nine-day trip to China -- the franchise’s first-ever visit to the country -- to participate in this year’s NBA China Games against the Mavericks in Shanghai and Shenzhen. It marked the second international visit for the 76ers in this calendar year alone after playing a January regular-season matchup against the Celtics in London. With four continents represented among the team’s starting five, 76ers CEO Scott O’Neil feels his team is now one of the faces of the “new global NBA” due to their “uniquely international” appeal. O’Neil said, “The hotels were mobbed, we could hear ‘let’s go Sixers’ chants down the block. 76ers hats, t-shirts and jerseys were everywhere. It was humbling to see the global nature of the fan base.”
WHOLE NEW WORLD: The trip also afforded players the opportunity to continue growing their own brand overseas. O’Neil noted 76ers C Joel Embiid and G Ben Simmons -- who have two of the best-selling jerseys in China -- along with G Markelle Fultz visited the country over the summer as a way to promote themselves prior to the preseason games. O’Neil also lauded the work of NBA China, led by CEO Derek Chang, and how the group is now “fully entrenched in all aspects of the sport -- with academies, events, broadcast partners, merchandise and more.” Meanwhile, after seeing first-hand the popularity of the team in China, O’Neil said he views this trip as a “starting point, not a finishing point.” He added fans will “see a lot more content in international languages and Mandarin” this season from the 76ers and Devils, which are also owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. O’Neil: “There is an insatiable appetite for ‘off the court’ and ‘off the ice’ content -- and given how interested our players are in the market, we think that will be a fun challenge to tackle.”
NUMBERS DON’T LIE: The NBA China Games recorded a cumulative 7.0 million live viewers and 14.2 million live views from two games on Tencent, up 32% and 16%, respectively, from Warriors-T’Wolves last year. The Shenzhen game was the most-watched NBA China Game ever on digital in China with 3.5 million viewers. The Shanghai game had 42.7 million unique viewers, making it the most-viewed NBA China Game since ’14 in Beijing (Nets-Kings). Viewership for both games were also the highest for NBA China Games in the last five years. O’Neil said the record numbers are a testament to the “power and influence” of the league overseas. O’Neil: “That’s a tribute to the NBA, Adam Silver’s incredible leadership and vision, and the resources that they put in this game. ... The NBA just understands the international market, marketing, social media and how to work with teams at a high level.”
