Despite calls to boycott the NBA, the first game of the 2019 season saw nearly 25 million simultaneous viewers on Tencent Video.
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The NBA’s recent decision not to punish a team executive for tweeting support for protests in Hong Kong has made the NBA a target of nationalist anger in China. Tencent, the NBA’s streaming partner in the country, suspended streaming of pre-season games until October 14.
While state broadcaster CCTV has continued its ban on airing NBA games, Tencent seems to be reaping the benefits of showing the games for the regular season, judging by the millions watching the opening game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.