NBA to Stage Games Inside China
By Mark Einhorn · Entertainment · No Comments
Subsequent games will take place in Macao at the Venetian Arena, which has a capacity of 15,000. On October 18, Magic will take on the China Men’s National Team, and there will be a rematch between Magic and the Cavaliers on October 20. Tickets for the Shanghai game will go on sale in June, and they can be purchased online at the EMMA ticket website (www.emma.cn), the EMMA Ticket national call center (407-707-9999), and at the EMMA Ticket box offices and outlets in Shanghai, Beijine, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. Information about how to purchase tickets for the other games will be made available at a later date. In 2004, the NBA became the first American professional sports league to play games in China with two matchups between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings in Shanghai and Beijing. Magic will be just the second NBA team to play against the Chinese National team in China. The first was the Washington Bullets, which played against China during the NBA’s first trip to the country in 1979. Basketball has risen in popularity in China in recent years, following Yao Ming’s entry into the NBA. China is the NBA’s biggest overseas market, with about 20,000 stores carrying NBA merchandise and 347 million television viewers watching games. NBA China has 50 employees, the largest NBA operation outside of the United States.
On October 17, the NBA China Games will begin with a game in Shanghai between the Cavaliers and the Magic at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena. The arena has a capacity of 13,779. The NBA chose Shanghai because of its international reputation, state-of-the art facilities, and because many NBA commercial partners are located nearby.
I’ve heard it everywhere and so have you, “the Great Wall of China is the only manmade structure that is visible from space.” I’ve heard it twice on the Discovery Channel, once on the Travel Channel, at least a half dozen times in the news, and even from my friend Danny, the one Chinese-American I’ve really been close with over the years. Sadly, it doesn’t make it any more true nor any less ridiculous. Let’s put this legend to bed, you can not see the Great Wall of China from space.
AIDS and HIV is a worldwide epidemic. Last year there were 70,000 new cases recorded on mainland China and although most of these new cases were intravenous drug users, sex workers and their clients, the virus has begun to spread among the general population. China’s representative to The World Health Organization, Dr. Henk Bekedam stated, “China’s HIV infections have been linked to high-risk behavior. But now, sex work is moving it toward the general population,” making unprotected sex the newest means for the virus’ spread throughout China.
Last week I reported that American Airlines would be offering non-stop service between Chicago and Shanghai. Now, Continental Airlines is hoping to service Shanghai as well; an effort that would not only give consumers choice but might bring Continental out of the red.
Wealth is Power
If you’re like me I’m sure you have picture identification. Why? Because you wish to drive (legally), cash checks or cheques (also legally) or get into bars (hopefully legally, but let’s not kid each other).
When renting an apartment in Shanghai, it’s as important to make sure your I’s are dotted and T’s crossed as it is to get a lease in your native language. After all, how do you dot an I in Chinese? What’s more important is to make sure that your deposit is not overly expensive, because just like anywhere you might live, you may never see it again.
Planning on relocating your precious pooch and discriminating kitty to Shanghai with the rest of your family? There is much you must do to be successful and, unfortunately if you do not follow the guidelines to the letter you may be forced to send your furry friend back to whence he came.
We love our age-old and (un)duly