U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn questioned NBA executive William Koenig about the league’s financial ties to China during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Concerns have been raised over the NBA’s significant investments in China, despite ongoing human rights issues associated with the Chinese Communist Party.
Reports suggest that the NBA’s media rights in China generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and team owners have invested over $10 billion in the country. During the hearing, Blackburn sought transparency on these financial engagements.
Blackburn asked Koenig, “Why don’t you tell me what the broadcast rights in China are worth and how much NBA owners have invested in China?”
Koenig responded by highlighting the NBA’s long-standing presence in China, stating, “The NBA does have a very long history of distributing our games and content in China for more than 30 years.”
However, Blackburn pressed further for specific financial details: “I’m not asking about the length of time you’ve been in China. I’m asking, ‘What are the media rights worth?’ You’re the president of global content and media distribution so what are those rights worth and how much have the NBA owners invested in China?”
Koenig maintained that “The NBA does not comment publicly on the financial terms of our relationships in the U.S. or abroad,” declining to provide further information.
