NBA Pre-Season Games Return to China in Five-Year Venetian Macao Deal
The NBA is set to make a high-profile return to China with a newly signed five-year agreement with the Venetian Macao, a Sands China property. This deal will bring pre-season games to the 14,000-seat Venetian Arena in Macau starting October 2025.
Key Details of the Deal
The first match-ups under this agreement will feature the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns, marking a new era for NBA-China relations. The games in Macau aim to showcase live NBA action to fans in one of Asia’s burgeoning sports hubs.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum commented, “Bringing pre-season games to Macau will showcase the excitement of the NBA to fans in one of the world’s emerging hubs for sports. We have a long history of being here in China.”
The league previously hosted games in major Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou from 2004 to 2019, as well as a one-off game in Macau in 2007. However, games were suspended following political tensions in 2019 and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic.
Growing Fan Base in China
Basketball continues to thrive in popularity across China. Millions of fans follow NBA games via streaming platforms, with teams like the Houston Rockets gaining significant attention after signing Shanghai native Yao Ming in 2002. Yao’s influence solidified basketball’s appeal, making China the league’s largest international market.
Sands China President Patrick Dumont, who played a pivotal role in brokering the deal, described the partnership as a “win-win-win” for the NBA, Macau, and China. The partnership aligns with Macau’s government directive to diversify the city’s entertainment offerings.
Future Opportunities
While there are currently no plans to bring games back to mainland China, Tatum noted that the league remains open to the possibility in the future. “Right now, our focus is on Macau,” Tatum emphasized. To commemorate the deal, a celebrity game featuring Basketball Hall of Famers Tony Parker, Ray Allen, and Tracy McGrady was held on 7 December.
Sands Corporation will further promote the collaboration through an NBA Flagship Store at the Londoner Macao, one of the group’s prominent properties in the city.
