Retail News CRM

Tag: asia

  • Lippo Mall Puri in West Jakarta sells

    Lippo Mall Puri in West Jakarta sells

    Reit Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (LMIRT) plans to buy Lippo Mall Puri in West Jakarta for US$261.6 million.

    LMIRT Management, which runs LMIRT, said in a statement it has entered into a conditional sale-and-purchase agreement for the 115,600sqm mall, which will boost the Reit’s total net lettable area by about 10 per cent. Settlement is scheduled for the second half of this year.

    Lippo Mall Puri has seven floors of retail space – five above ground and two basement levels. The mall currently has 324 tenants including Uniqlo, Zara, Marks & Spencer, H&M, Best Denki and Adidas. It is anchored by Parkson and Matahari department stores and also includes dining, cinema and entertainment zones. At the end of last year it had an occupancy rate of 89.6 per cent.

    The property’s current owner is Mandiri Cipta Gemilang, which will provide ongoing support after the sale is completed.

    LMIRT Management CEO Gouw Vi Ven says that since Lippo Mall Puri was completed in July 2014, the average monthly footfall has grown from 176,000 to nearly 1.22 million.

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  • Meituan Dianping nearly doubled revenue

    Meituan Dianping nearly doubled revenue

    China’s Meituan Dianping, the world’s largest food-delivery service, nearly doubled its revenue last year, but the tech startup is still bleeding cash.

    In the second set of results since its high-profile IPO, Meituan Dianping reported total revenues of RMB65 billion (US$9.68 billion), up 92.3 per cent on its 2017 result. Gross profit rose to RMB15.1 billion ($2.25 billion), but its adjusted net loss blew out to RMB8.5 billion ($1.27 billion).

    In its results statement, the company said strong revenue growth was achieved across all major business segments and its food-delivery business and in-store, hotel and travel segments on a combined basis generated positive adjusted operating profit.

    Total gross transaction volume grew by 44.3 per cent to RMB515.6 billion and the number of annual transacting users rose from 309 million to 400.4 million last year.

    The losses have been incurred by new services including ride-hailing and bike sharing.

    During the last year, Meituan Dianping has been boosting its customer base by targeting internet users who have not previously used food-delivery services from an online platform. It also launched a rewards program to maintain customer loyalty and incentivise user referrals through social media platforms.

    “In addition, through creating more diversified service categories, consumption scenarios and upgrading marketing programs, we increased users’ transaction frequency and further boosted transaction volume growth,” the company said in a results filing.

    “We continued to expand the service categories on our platform to include breakfasts, afternoon tea and midnight snacks. Delivery volume of fast food, snacks, desserts and drinks achieved strong growth during last year.”

  • Ducati CEO Hints At Panigale V4 Streetfighter

    Ducati CEO Hints At Panigale V4 Streetfighter

    Is Ducati planning to introduce a naked version of the Panigale V4 superbike? That’s the question that’s been doing the rounds for some time now, especially after a custom-built naked Ducati Panigale V4 was unveiled by Italian design house Officine GP. That custom naked, called the V4 Penta, isn’t an official Ducati creation, but now Ducati Motor Holding’s CEO Claudio Domenicali himself has hinted that a production naked version of the Panigale V4 may indeed be in the works. Domenicali didn’t exactly spell out that a naked V4 is under production, but his cryptic remarks in an interview have led to speculation that a naked version of the Panigale V4 may indeed be in the making.

    In an interview with Swiss website Acid Moto, the Ducati CEO talked about future plans of the company, including plans of an electric model from Ducati. But Domenicali revealed little and denied reports that a supersport V4 was in the works. When asked about the possibility of a streetfighter-style model based on the Panigale V4 engine, instead of replying to the question, Domenicali replied with another question.

    “Do you think Ducati should produce such a bike?” he asked. When the interviewers replied in the affirmative, and said “yes” to that question, which led Domenicali to conclude that “It will therefore be made as soon as possible!” Now, this doesn’t necessarily confirm whether Ducati has plans to make the V4 streetfighter, or if it’s already under production. But his comments certainly are interesting, more so because just around a month ago, a custom stripped down V4 was unveiled by Officine GP. The V4 Penta as it’s called, was not a Ducati commissioned build, but it certainly gives Ducati the chance to gauge market reaction, and it seems a naked V4 could see production sooner than later.

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  • MWC2019 was a “reality check” for telcos

    MWC2019 was a “reality check” for telcos

    MWC 2019 demonstrated the mobile industry knows it needs to change and without that change and a massive recalibration of its fundamental business model and modus operandi, it will become obfuscated, according to ABI Research.

    “MWC 2019 could best be characterized as displaying an anxiety borne from an industry suffering from a combination of split personality disorder and ADHD,” wrote Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer at ABI Research, in the firm’s post-conference whitepaper: A Reality Check from Mobile World Congress 2019.

    One half of the industry encompasses an emerging band of technology companies that are addressing some pressing industry-centric issues with real-world solutions based on direct vertical market customer need.

    “The other half of the industry is made up of a carrier community that is moving at the same pace as the Titanic attempting to turn and avoid the iceberg. Too slow and too late,” added Carlaw.

    ABI Research had seven analysts at MWC 2019, which was held in Barcelona, Spain, between Feb. 25-28, 2019. The analysts focused on the following compelling transformative technologies:

    • 5G & Mobile Network Infrastructure
    • Digital Security
    • M2M, IoT & IoE
    • Smart Cities & Smart Spaces
    • Smart Mobility and Automotive
    • Smartphones and Wearables

    Some of the analysts’ conclusions about 5G and mobile network infrastructure from the whitepaper include:

    • Mobile Service Providers (MSPs) are becoming more rational in discussing what 5G can and cannot do. And, are realizing that 5G will be a slow affair.
    • Telcos and their partners will first use 5G to target the consumer market as that is the area where telcos have the know-how, reach, and experience.
    • Private LTE is slowly getting momentum in a market where 5G takes all the headlines. MSPs and network vendors already have well-tested and reliable technologies that can be used to deliver solutions in the enterprise space.
    • A new trend is emerging in the convergence of MSPs and cloud giants as the two categories need each other. This is part of the wider discussion around edge computing, network cloudification, and the role of 5G in creating new applications and supporting the growth of vertical markets.
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  • CTG, Global Switch, Daily-Tech open Singapore data center

    CTG, Global Switch, Daily-Tech open Singapore data center

    China Telecom Global, Chinese data center infrastructure developer and operator Daily-Tech and the UK-based Global Switch have jointly open a data center in Singapore’s Woodlands district as part of their three-way partnership.

    The S$280 million ($206.4 million) Global Switch Singapore Woodlands data center spans 25,000 square meters and has been constructed to operate to Tier III+ standards.

    The Singapore data center is the second to be built under the three-way partnership after the HK$5 billion data center in Tseung Kwan O that opened in December 2017.

    The Singapore Woodlands data center is designed to a power usage efficiency of just 1.34, making it the most power efficient data center available to customers in Singapore. The data center services are powered by 30MVA of utility power supply capacity and backed by a 24/7 networks operations center.

    The data center will connect to China Telecom Global’s network of subsea and terrestrial cables as well as other data centers around the world. It is Global Switch’s 12th data center globally.

    “This is a milestone entry into the Southeast Asian countries’ market for Daily-Tech through our strategic business partnership,” Daily-Tech chairman Li Qiang said.

    “Customers in the region – particularly those looking to expand through China’s Belt and Road projects, will now find more convenient connections and access to well-managed services to support their business growth. This partnership offers customers commitment, a track record in servicing and bespoke services, and best practice management.”

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  • Free Spotify premium service for Samsung Galaxy S10 buyers

    Free Spotify premium service for Samsung Galaxy S10 buyers

    With the Samsung Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ all officially launching today, music streamer Spotify has announced that its Android app will be pre-installed on all three models in the U.S. Additionally, the Spotify app will come loaded out of the box on the Samsung Galaxy Fold, and certain Galaxy A units in the states as well. The latter are mid-range phones offered by Sammy.

    Besides pre-installing the Spotify app on these Samsung Galaxy handsets, state-side users will receive a free six-month subscription to Spotify’s premium U.S. service as long as they are not a current subscriber to the music streamer. While Spotify does offer a free ad-supported tier of service, it does not come with certain features available to premium members. Those features include unlimited skips, and the ability to download music that can be played offline. Premium members can also play any track in Spotify’s library, and songs are streamed in High Quality.

    Spotify normally offers a free 30-day free trial to its premium tier, after which pricing is $9.99 per month. Families with up to six members can pay $14.99 monthly, and students with a verified .edu email address are charged only $4.99 a month.

    Last August, Samsung and Spotify teamed up to take on Apple Music. Spotify became Samsung’s new “go-to music service provider” as it tries to keep its lead over Apple Music world-wide. Launched in October 2008, Spotify has yet to turn a profit and has embarked on a campaign to transition subscribers from its free tier of service to a subscription plan.

  • Tourism Malaysia Collaborates with ShopBack to Incentivise Travellers to Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

    Tourism Malaysia Collaborates with ShopBack to Incentivise Travellers to Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

    Recognising the growth of online travel bookings in Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia recently confirms its support towards the largest Online Travel Fair organised by ShopBack Malaysia from 11th to 17th March 2019, and applauds the company’s efforts in enticing travellers to go around Malaysia with attractive travel bonus and cashback.

    Dato’ Dr. Ammar Abd Ghapar, Senior Director, Domestic & Events Division, Tourism Malaysia says, “This is the third year that Tourism Malaysia is supporting ShopBack Malaysia’s efforts in promoting domestic travels. In the past two years, it has been rolling out a Chief Travel Officer video series to showcase the immense beauty of our land to the public, and this year we are expanding our support towards ShopBack’s Online Travel Fair, the largest e-travel fair in Malaysia which is held in collaboration with its partner merchants including Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, Malaysia Airlines, BusOnlineTicket, KLOOK, Traveloka, Trip.com, and many more.”

    “The past ShopBack Online Travel Fair achieved 100% year-on-year growth. This is definitely encouraging and together with the continuous efforts from the public sector as well as private e-commerce players, we are confident in growing the industry performance towards the Visit Malaysia 2020 goal,” Dato’ Dr. Ammar says.

    Alvin Gill, Country General Manager of ShopBack Malaysia, expressed that every year, hundreds of thousands of travellers use ShopBack to make travel bookings with Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, Malaysia Airlines etc. because it saves them more money. “Through a special partnership with all the online travel sites, travellers can get up to 8% cashback on each travel booking. That means if a hotel room cost RM500, a traveller just needs to open the ShopBack web/app, click to our merchant site to make the booking and he/she will get RM40 cashback from us. The booking price is the same, but you will get cashback in your ShopBack account if you use us.”

    “In conjunction with our first Online Travel Fair in 2019, we are also giving away an extra up to RM25 bonus cashback to all travellers who purchase flight, accommodation, and trip packages to any Malaysia destination via our platforms from 11th to 17th March 2019. We are truly honoured to have Tourism Malaysia’s support for this campaign – together we can empower more people to rediscover the food, art, nature and culture in the country and create fond memories with their family and friends here,” Alvin adds.

    The leading cashback site works with a full range of travel sites that covers airlines, bus, rides, accommodations and tour services to offer cashback on top of discounts provided by merchants. Signing up to ShopBack is free. Over 1 million Malaysians are using ShopBack at the moment, and over RM30 million of cashback has been given to local users since 2015.

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  • Sony MDR-HW300K wireless headphones are 35% off

    Sony MDR-HW300K wireless headphones are 35% off

    Are you looking to buy a nice new pair of wireless headphones? If so, you might want to check out this deal. There’s a 35% discount for Sony’s MDR-HW300K Bluetooth headphones. This model typically retails for $100 at Amazon, but right now, you can grab a brand new pair for $65 at Woot.

    The MDR-HW300K has a driver size of 40mm. The system transmits an uncompressed 2.4 GHz signal to reduce unwanted interference while the real-time automatic channel tuning prevents signal degradation. These features allow the system to deliver high-quality sound without outside interference. Aside from sounding great, the set is also extremely comfortable and stylish thanks to the light-weight, adjustable padded headband and swivel style ear-cup design. The cans are advertised as lasting up to 10 hours between charges.

    If this deal interests you, feel free to follow the above link to Woot. Shipping is free, and a 1-year warranty is included.

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  • The Google app hits an impressive milestone in the Play Store

    The Google app hits an impressive milestone in the Play Store

    Remember when the Google Play Store was called the Android Market? Google changed the name on March 6th, 2012. Twenty-six months later, Gmail became the first Android app to reach 1 billion installs. Since then, two other apps in the Play Store have been installed over 5 billion times-that is, until today. Google Maps and YouTube have been joined in the exclusive club by the Google app.

    Video streaming site YouTube was the first Android app to hit 5 billion downloads, and was followed this past weekend by navigation app Google Maps. Now, the Google app itself  has joined the club. Technically, there are four members if you include Google Play Services, but this is a systems app that allows an Android phone to update Google developed apps and apps from the Google Play Store.

    The three apps, YouTube, Google Maps and Google, are not only must-haves for every Android user, they are also pre-installed on every Android phone that comes with Google Play Services out of the box. When an app is pre-loaded onto an Android device, that is included in the total number of installations.

    Google has worked on expanding the features offered by each of the three apps in the 5 billion installs club. Besides offering streaming videos from amateurs, the site now includes trailers from movies and clips taken from television shows. In addition, YouTube now offers its own original programming for paid subscribers. Google Maps has added several new navigation based items, including the ability to report a crash or speed trap, a speed limit reminder, and more. It also has moved into the lifestyle category by showing places of interest to visit in your home town and locations you travel to.

    The Google app, which helps users search for websites, also reports news, sports and weather of interest to the user. A summary of the user’s schedule for the day can be seen thanks to Google Calendar integration, and a list of stock prices can be monitored. All three apps do have iOS counterparts in the Apple App Store.

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  • The Motorola Moto G7 Power & G7 Play finally have release dates

    The Motorola Moto G7 Power & G7 Play finally have release dates

    The Motorola Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power will soon be available on US store shelves, the Chicago-based brand has announced. Once released, they will join the $299 Moto G7 which launched earlier this month.The Moto G7 Power, on the one hand, will be available to pre-order later this week on March 15. Shipments of the device will then kick off just seven days later on March 22. The Moto G7 Play, on the other hand, won’t be released until April 5. However, if you wish to get your hands on it that day, the budget offering will be available to pre-order one week earlier on March 29.

    As previously revealed, the Moto G7 power will cost just $249 when released later this month. At that price, consumers gain access to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 632, a large 6.2-inch display, and a huge 5,000mAh battery which produces the best battery life we’ve ever tested. If the Moto G7 Power is a bit too pricey for you, the Moto G7 Play will be available for just $199. This offering maintains the same processor but shrinks the display to 5.7-inches. The battery is also quite a bit smaller at 3,000mAh. The Moto G7 Power & Moto G7 Play will both be available to pre-order and purchase through Motorola.com and Amazon. Select US retailers including Best Buy and B&H Photo will also offer the devices once released. Both models should be compatible with all US carriers.

  • Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ as Singapore creative agency of record

    Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ as Singapore creative agency of record

    Pizza Hut Singapore appoints BLKJ, an independent creative agency, as Agency of Record to resonate with young adults while maintaining its strong heritage among families. BLKJ, one of the fastest growing independent creative agencies in Singapore, was established in 2017. BLKJ will be managing all Pizza Hut’s upcoming campaign launches. They will lead all marketing efforts in content creation, creative designs and art direction. BLKJ will be tasked to deliver innovative ideas and refresh the Pizza Hut brand in Singapore.

    “We were bowled over by the boldness of their ideas, their appreciation for the brand challenges and spot on solutions to win the hearts of the Millennials. Most of all, it was a meeting of minds and we believe this is fundamental to any successful partnership,” says Joyce Tan, Senior Director, Marketing & Food Innovation, Pizza Hut Singapore. “We launched ‘Your Slice of Simple’ campaign last year and believe that BLKJ is a strong partner to help reinforce and cement this positioning for our brand.”

    The appointment was made following a three-way agency pitch. Pizza Hut was particularly drawn to BLKJ’s good grasp of the category and the Pizza Hut brand. The decision to partner with BLKJ was made after a stringent evaluation process which involves key marketing and senior stakeholders.

    “We are very excited to be working with Pizza Hut. Firstly it’s a great brand with the potential for creating ground-breaking work. Pizza Hut’s positioning of ‘Your Slice of Simple’ is a great place to start from. Secondly, from the word go the chemistry between the two parties was great. Both of us want to make Pizza Hut more successful than it’s ever been before,” says Rowena Bhagchadani, CEO and Co-Founder, BLKJ.

    The appointment will be further enhanced with the launch of Pizza Hut’s new brand campaign in March 2019. With the addition of BLKJ, Pizza Hut will continue to rekindle the simple and delicious pizza experience, further emphasising an alternative to “foodie complexity”. The partnership with BLKJ will elevate Pizza Hut brand among millennials in Singapore and brings captivating ideas to life.

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  • Facebook’s unannounced mobile payment service shows up

    Facebook’s unannounced mobile payment service shows up

    Facebook’s Marketplace seems to be one of the few successful features launched by the social network giant in the last couple of years. Now, Facebook plans to add an important tool that will make the entire Marketplace experience smoother and easier, at least this is how we’re seeing things at first glance. A mobile payment service that will allow Facebook users to pay for goods they buy through Marketplace is already showing in the Android and iOS app. A new Pay with Facebook option is now available on some Facebook pages that sell various products (i.e. Marshmello Music).

    The new option supports various payment methods that use Visa and Mastercard, as well as cryptocurrency, though the latter seems just a placeholder for now since we don’t recognize the symbol.

    At the moment, the whole process seems a bit convoluted because the buyer must first send a request to the seller, who will then have to accept or refuse the offer and send another payment request to the buyer.

    Although it sure doesn’t sound like a seamless process, Pay with Facebook may at least offer Marketplace users a more secure (and free) method of payment. We’re still waiting for Facebook’s official announcement to learn more about the new mobile payment service, but we can’t guarantee it will ever come.

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  • Huawei Mate 20 sales achievement proves the company doesn’t need the US

    Huawei Mate 20 sales achievement proves the company doesn’t need the US

    With a little over two weeks left until Huawei will finally take the wraps off the P30 flagship series, the company is mainly busy building hype around a quad camera setup that might take mobile zoom photography to a whole new level of excellence. But at the same time, the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor continues to boast impressive achievements on its way to the global market’s first place. Despite not being officially available in the US, which remains one of the world’s biggest and most profitable smartphone markets, the Huawei Mate 20 “Series” has managed to rack up a grand total of 10 million shipments in just four and a half months. That’s obviously not the first time one of the company’s flagship families has reached 10 million unit sales, but the P20 and Mate 10 got to that number pretty much simultaneously back in August 2018.

    While the P20/P20 Pro duo needed roughly five months on store shelves to cross the milestone, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro were nowhere near as popular, taking twice as long to score a combined 10 million shipments. And yes, we’re talking about the same Huawei Mate 10 Pro that you could buy unlocked from a number of authorized US retailers with a valid warranty included.<where more or less reliable vendors can hook you up with "international" stock at decent prices, but with no warranty. What this all suggests is that Huawei really doesn't need the US to succeed. The Chinese tech giant is huge in Asia, growing at a crazy pace in Europe, and even decently popular in Canada, where the Mate 20 Pro is sold through major carriers like Rogers, Bell, and Telus. If the company continues its progress in both the high-end and mid-range categories, there's definitely a good chance the smartphone market will have a new leader soon.

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  • 2019 Ford Figo Facelift Launch Date Revealed

    2019 Ford Figo Facelift Launch Date Revealed

    The 2019 Ford Figo facelift is all set to go on sale in India on March 15, 2019. The car is set to receive an update over three years later and the facelifted Figo will come with a bunch of cosmetic changes, sharing most of its cues with the Aspire facelift, along with some new and updated features. In fact, a production-spec unit of the 2019 Ford Figo facelift has already been spotted testing in India. Furthermore, the updated Figo is also likely to come with powertrain options, which will also come from the updated Ford Aspire subcompact sedan.

    The revised engine options are likely to include the new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine from the Dragon family that was first introduced with the Ford Freestyle. The motor is capable of producing 95 bhp and develops 120 Nm of peak torque while mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The 2019 Figo is also expected to get the bigger 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit that was introduced with the EcoSport facelift, which makes 123 bhp and 150 Nm of torque, with the new 6-speed torque converter.

    Of course, Ford will continue to offer the tried and tested 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which continues to be the most popular choice among these models. The motor is tuned to churn out a maximum output of 99 bhp and 215 Nm of peak torque, and it comes paired with the same 5-speed manual gearbox as standard.

    Visually, the Figo facelift comes with a new honeycomb-pattern grille with chrome surrounds, the tweaked headlamps, with halogen units, and a new front bumper with the large end-to-end horns-like black element, with round foglamps and a wide airdam. The spy images also revealed that the car will come with new, sporty black alloy wheels, revised taillamps and similar black element as on the tailgate.

    The cabin design, on the other hand, is also likely to be identical to the new Aspire, but we do expect to see an all-black theme instead of the beige interior on the latter. Also, the car is likely to feature a new infotainment system, a floating unit that will support Ford’s in-car connectivity system SYNC3 in addition to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car also comes with new air con vents along with illuminated USB sockets, auto climate control and a start-stop button.

  • NBA to Focus on Market Growth in Southeast and Asia-Pacific Regions

    NBA to Focus on Market Growth in Southeast and Asia-Pacific Regions

    NBA basketball is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting leagues in the world, with fans everywhere. The league’s second-biggest market after the U.S. surprisingly isn’t Canada or even anywhere in Europe. It is, in fact, China. The NBA’s social media following in China is in the hundreds of millions, with large companies like Tencent distributing over 600 NBA games each year on its proprietary digital platforms. As of last year, the market for NBA China was worth a staggering $4 billion. Now, the average NBA team is worth triple what it was only five years ago, and this is primarily due to the league’s smart moves in international expansion over the past few years.

    Caption: Basketball’s popularity has expanded worldwide, and the NBA has made smart moves to capitalize on this interest.

    In recognizing how popular the game is and lucrative the international market can be, NBA bosses now look to expand viewership further afield, focusing their growth efforts specifically on the Southeast and Asia-Pacific regions. In an interview with CNBC, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum pointed to the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan as the next big markets for the NBA to penetrate. Tatum reported that currently, “we have got greater distribution in this region than we ever had before.” He also claimed that of the 1.5 billion NBA social media followers, “half of that traffic comes from outside the United States, and a large portion of that comes from Asia.” In the Philippines, for example, the game already enjoys large popularity, with a reported 75 percent of homes having watched an NBA game in this season alone. The league has also opened stores across the country with the aim of generating merchandising revenue and catering to existing interest in the game.

    In their efforts to further growth and viewership across Asia, they now have an exclusive distribution deal worth $225 million with Rakuten in Japan and have over 25 different media partners to distribute games throughout the Southeast and Asia-Pacific regions. That means everyone can watch, enjoy and debate the odds of their favorite teams winning games.

    Youth Engagement Programs


    Caption: The NBA seeks to increase youth engagement in basketball all over the world.

    A key part of this market growth is to get people playing basketball, specifically by developing international youth engagement in the sport. The NBA has developed a strong outreach program called Jr. NBA, which seeks to get kids playing basketball. In the CNBC interview, Tatum said the program had already reached over five million kids and had the ambitious goal of reaching another 15 million by the end of next year. Also, in 2016, they opened NBA academies aimed at training international youth talent. As it stands, they now have academies in China, Australia, Senegal, Mexico and Australia. Not surprisingly, China is the only one of these countries to have more than one academy, with the league introducing trials of the program and opening its first three academies in Shandon, Xinjiang and Zhejiang. These outreach programs are no doubt effective as China reportedly has over 300 million people playing basketball on a regular basis.

    Player Development

    International expansion is no doubt a lucrative business for the NBA. However, along with the Jr. NBA program, it also has the benefit of being a strong source of player development. As the game gets more popular, and more people grow up playing and developing their skills at basketball, the league ensures it will not be short of top talent and recruitment options in the future. Currently, the league enjoys its largest-ever international player-ship, with a record 62 international players competing professionally, hailing from 33 countries.

    The expansion in Asia also has a remarkable effect on the values of domestic teams, with a record 15 league teams out of the total 30 hosting pregame Chinese New Year celebrations this year. Houston, the former club of Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming, as well as the Golden State Warriors went a step further in their outreach to Chinese fans by wearing new uniforms inspired by Chinese culture and decorated with Chinese symbols.


    Caption: Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming.

    The expansive efforts taken by the NBA in international outreach programs, and increasing international viewership, are lucrative business moves for the league. However, they also have the benefit of increasing youth interest and engagement in the rigorous sporting activity, keeping our youth healthier and more active. In addition, if the expansion efforts can help talented young players follow their dreams to some-day play professionally in the biggest basketball league in the world, then it’s all good news.

     

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