As the NBA Finals concluded with minimal buzz across the Chinese mainland, analysts are questioning whether the league's decades-long dominance in Asia's largest market is waning. While basketball remains deeply popular, early data shows a 28% year-on-year decline in official broadcast viewership – the steepest drop since 2018.
Three factors emerge in discussions with sports marketers: The absence of Chinese players since Yao Ming's retirement, Gen Z's preference for short-form highlights over three-hour games, and lingering impacts from the 2019 Daryl Morey controversy. Tencent Sports data reveals 63% of viewers under 25 now primarily consume games through Douyin (TikTok) clips rather than full broadcasts.
"Young fans want snackable content they can discuss instantly on Weibo and Xiaohongshu," says Shanghai-based sports analyst Li Wei. "The NBA's traditional broadcast model struggles to compete with platforms offering instant highlights and memes."
However, the league continues digital investments, recently launching Mandarin-language alternate broadcasts featuring influencers. With 12 sponsorship deals from Chinese brands still active, including Anta Sports and Mengniu Dairy, commercial interest remains strong despite viewership challenges.
