The NBA started stimulated mass appeal when Bill Russell (left) and With Chamberlain (right) joined the league and had classic clashes during the 60's - Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper photo by Ed Palumbo

China's Yao Ming's NBA success stimulated interest in the game in Asia - Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA photo

NBA BEAT - NBA CARES??? NO NBA TV in CAMBODIA!!!

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Given that the NBA SUPPOSEDLY CARES about the underprivileged raises the question why aren't the games being televised for free in Asian nations at this time when they claim they're trying to GROW THE SPORT around the world? Is this about greed and money? WHO CARES? WE CARE...

Monday, June 06, 2011

POOR ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE BLACKED OUT

If you're living or traveling in a poor country like Cambodia, where the NBA games are not being televised, join the club. Numerous times we've been asked by NBA fans why the NBA has failed to televise the games in Cambodia for the first time this season. The NBA prides itself on caring and helping with its NBA Cares programs to support poor nations but that raises the question WHY no NBA TV in Cambodia?

We've contacted NBA Asia several times and the head office in the USA twice. Both offices have failed to give an adequate answer and in some instances have used the stonewalling technique. The red flags are up and now it begs the question is what is the NBA trying to hide? There's a line in a Martin Lawrence film National Security where he says, "I remember when the NBA was ALL WHITE." So do we.

The point being that Lawrence is an actor/comedian and his statement was meant to be funny. His declaration was a joke but to the no NBA TV in poor Asian countries to NBA fans residing there IS NOT.

The NBA's logic could be that Cambodia is a small country with a population of only 14 million and there's no money in it for the league. The leagues avoiding to reply to our question indicates that something smells fishy. You can tell more about a person or organization more so by the questions they avoid answering than those they do.

Conversely China is where the NBA does care and has set up an office in Beijing that compliments their operations in Hong Kong. The country with the world's largest inhabitants has cities with populations greater than Cambodia's and other poor Asian nations. True but is the league supposed to care about the disadvantaged or is it all about the money? Is this about wealth or about truly growing the popularity of the league in Asia? How much in advertising dollars can the NBA reap from nations with small populations? Is this about building the character of people or about the wealth of an organization?

For the past 50 years the league has grown in popularity largely due to the contributions of poor black youths from the ghettos of America. Poor Asian countries are the new ghetto frontiers for the league to embrace and should not shun.

In the 1950's the NBA was doing so poorly that in order to attract crowds they had double headers even in high school gymnasiums. For those that don't know that means two games the same night with four different NBA teams. During the 60's the league started to gain momentum. The league attracted crowds largely because of BLACK superstars at that time including Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson.

The Celtics were the first NBA team that consisted of a majority of black players. During the 60's they won all of the titles during that decade except one which was in 1967 against the Chamberlain led Philadelphia 76ers that have been touted as the greatest NBA team ever for one season. These two players and other minorities that followed helped build the leagues popularity were largely from underprivileged families from the ghettos of America. At that time television coverage was limited for the most part due to sponsor's lack of interest and limited TV technology. The good news is the games were free to the television viewer.

During the 70's the league again fell on hard times and the crowds tapered off. Interest in the league surged again during the 80's. The NBA regained fan interest with the emergence of more black stars including Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving and a then new white hope player Larry Bird.

The NEXT main change that made the league come alive again was when an agreement was made between the league and Ted Turner's WTBS to televise the games FOR FREE nationally. The deal was consummated between then WTBS boss Ted Turner and current NBA President David Stern announced in Las Vegas at a television conference in the early 80's. The national exposure stimulated the fans interest in teams outside of their area.

Currently NBA games continue to be telecast in the USA FOR FREE including games on cable television and ESPN that are also available on computers.

Given that the NBA SUPPOSEDLY CARES about the underprivileged raises the question why aren't the games being televised for free in Asian nations at this time when they claim they're trying to GROW THE SPORT around the world? Why deprive the minority nations such as Cambodia access to the sport. Why are they being DISCRIMINATORY and ELITIST?

It was the MINORITIES THAT SAVED THE NBA. The leagues teams are now consisted of a majority of minorities. The leagues new minorities are in Asia. With China's Yao Ming having had such a successful NBA career interest in the game has surges in China as well as other parts of Asia. The league is salivating over the money making prospects in China and its billion plus population. With Asia being the league's new frontier it continues to raise the question why is there discrimination and an elitist posture towards Asia's poorer nations?

Why are games televised for free in a rich nation like the USA and not available in poor Asian countries when the league claims that they are trying to grow interest in the sport? Major League Baseball games are being televised in Cambodia FOR FREE and almost on a DAILY BASIS. The NFL is available on a PAY TIER. Both sports require a number of players to play the sport.

Basketball is a sport that can be practiced on an individual basis and competitive on a 1 on 1 basis. The NBA''s haughty stance on this matter defies logic. Basketball is a sport that is easier to develop since it requires fewer participants.

It appears that this pompous position of the NBA is discriminatory and is compounded by the fact that the NBA provides NO ANSWERS as to the REASONS WHY. One thing is certain… THE NBA DOESN'T CARE.

Next: The person in charge of approving NBA TV coverage was BORN WITH A SILVER SPOON IN HER MOUTH