The buildup to the NBA China Games is underway! The Nets will be leaving for Macao, China’s Las Vegas, shortly after their game with Hapoel Jerusalem at Barclays Center on October 4. Six days letter, they and the Suns will take the court at the already-sold out Venetian Resort, then follow up two days later with a second game. It’s a big deal for the NBA’s Chinese market and Joe Tsai not only because he’s the Brooklyn Nets governor, but Taobao, part of Alibaba —his day job, is presenting the games.
The banners and promotions are already up in the former Portuguese colony across the bay from Hong Kong…
… the revised banners are up too after more than one revision since the Games were announced…
The players are getting ready as well like Egor Demin who joined one of the country’s big social media sites, Douyin, the Chinese TikTok this week. China can be lucrative market, even for a rookie…
And any day now, Fanbo Zeng, the Most Improved Player in the Chinese Basketball Association, will sign with Brooklyn.
Now comes word that China’s global multimedia company, Tencent, will be partnering with the Nets and specifically the Brooklynettes dance team on a six-episode reality series to pick the first-ever Brooklynettes China Dance Team, CheersNets, who will perform in Macao. Bringing another Brooklyn brand to China.
The reality series, which will likely be seen by tens of millions of Asian viewers, is being billed as a ”talent variety show” where eight Chinese dancers will be selected to join the Brooklynettes China Team.
The 45 contestants have already been chosen…
… and begun practice:
Criscia Long, senior director of entertainment at BSE Global and the executive in charge of the Brooklynettes back in Brooklyn has been a big part of the process.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the organization is being aggressive as the NBA returns to China for the first time since 2019 when a tweet promoting a free Hong Kong which caused an international incident.
Under both their Russian and Chinese owners, Brooklyn has invested heavily in international marketing which has led to a rapidly growing global fan base, with more than 53 million fans worldwide. They’re the third most popular team in both France and China, according to media metrics. The team recently reported that it leads the NBA in international engagement and views on social media. Overall, 70% of the team’s pages on Instagram and Facebook come from outside the country as well as 66% on TikTok. In China specifically, the Nets lead the NBA in engagement and views per video on Weibo, the big Chinese social media site.
Indeed this is the team’s 24th overseas trip and its third to China, both the most ever for an NBA club.
“This dance team audition show marks a brand-new exploration for Tencent Sports in the field of ‘sports entertainment’.” said Sway Huang, Sr. Director of Tencent Sports Content Center, said in a statement. “Tencent Sports is thrilled to partner with the Nets on this initiative. Leveraging our strengths in content production and media ecosystem, we aim to bring the authentic NBA arena culture to Chinese audiences in an engaging and localized format, creating a sports variety show where ‘competitive spirit meets mass entertainment’. “
CheersNets will premiere on September. 5 across Tencent platforms in China and chronicle the “highs and lows” of 45 hopefuls as they compete for a spot on the team. Said the Nets: “The contestants come from diverse backgrounds and are outstanding in their respective fields. Among them are film actresses, girl group reality show contestants, members of China university basketball league dance teams, social media influencers, well-known Sports TV hosts, and university teachers.”
The contestants will be judged based on their dance technique, musicality and familiarity with the Brooklynettes style of movement.
The final episode of CheersNets, featuring the selection of the eight dancers will air October 9, the night before the first Brooklyn-Phoenix game. While the Nets are in Macao, the Brooklynettes China Team will also engage in community outreach programs, workshops and more. The dance team will debut in October at a special event, alongside members of the basketball team.
