CCTV Agrees New Deal with NBA China

China Central Television (CCTV), China’s national television station, CCTV Future Advertising and NBA China have agreed a multi-year television partnership that includes increased NBA coverage and creating a joint media team to market and promote NBA broadcasts.

The deal marks 26^th anniversary of the companies’ partnership to provide access to the NBA and develop basketball in China.

The announcement was made at a press conference attended by Li Ting, Deputy Chief Editor of CCTV, Jiang Heping, Director of CCTV-5, Zhang Yong, General Manager of CCTV Future Advertising, Yin Tiegang, deputy general manager of CCTV Future Advertising, David Shoemaker, CEO of NBA China, and Collins Qian, COO of NBA China.

The partnership includes live NBA games, tape-delayed games aired during prime time and NBA original programming.

The companies will create a customised NBA-themed weekly show exclusively for fans in China.

CCTV Future Advertising, an advertising arm of CCTV, also entered into a partnership with NBA China to become official media partner on CCTV-5, forging a deeper and broader cooperation.

“We look forward to a new era of basketball coverage with the NBA, as basketball game broadcasts are among the most popular programs on CCTV-5,” said Jiang. “The NBA represents the best professional basketball league in the world and we are thrilled to bring our fans more authentic NBA excitement through our comprehensive coverage.”

“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with CCTV and to introduce the most comprehensive NBA programming ever for our fans in China,” Shoemaker said. “Our new collaboration with CCTV will provide the highest quality original productions and customized shows for fans as well as first time, unique branded opportunities for advertisers.”

CCTV-5 will air live NBA games each week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Fans can also watch tape-delayed marquee NBA games and NBA highlights.

CCTV-5 will broadcast live the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, the NBA Finals and NBA All-Star events including the All-Star Game, State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night and the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge. CCTV will also screen special NBA programming as part of the league’s Chinese New Year celebration, following last season’s successful inaugural edition.{jcomments on}