- Title: NBA banners removed, news conferences postponed in Shanghai amid China backlash
- Date: 9th October 2019
- Summary: WORKER TEARING DOWN NBA LOGO FROM BANNER ON BUILDING SIDE
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2019 10:12
- Keywords: China NBA tweet Basketball Lakers banners Houston Rockets U.S. halt cooperation
- Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- City: SHANGHAI, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Basketball,Sport,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002B0DIYIV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Banners advertising an upcoming NBA match in Shanghai were removed and a news conference by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn nets was delayed indefinitely on Wednesday (October 9) as official Chinese backlash against a controversial tweet from the Houston Rockets general manager voicing support for the Hong Kong protests continued.
Local organisers cancelled fan events that were scheduled for earlier in the day. Fans awaiting the Lakers and Nets' arrival at the venue said that they supported the actions taken by Chinese authorities to halt local partnerships and cooperation with the NBA.
"For us basketball fans, I think from now on it might be a bit difficult to watch NBA matches. Given the way (the Chinese authorities) have dealt it, well, I might like to watch NBA, but in the end, I'm a Chinese," said NBA fan Bai Linfan.
Broadcasts and live streams of the game on Thursday (October 10) have been suspended and Chinese sponsors and partners have been cutting ties with the NBA after the controversial tweet. NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke up for freedom of speech saying it was not up to the NBA to regulate what players, employees and team owners said, nor to adjudicate differences between people around the world, escalating the furor.
(Production: Xihao Jiang, Joseph Campbell) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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