Brooklyn Nets: 2025 NBA China Games

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

During a record-setting trip for their seventh and eighth games in China, the most of any team in league history, the Brooklyn Nets' NBA China Games 2025 campaign showcased the organization's dedication to global innovation, fan development, and community engagement.

The Nets’ company-wide initiative combined an integrated global marketing strategy, best-in-class hospitality, business development, multilingual technology and local entertainment and activations that grew Nets’ fandom and reshaped how an NBA team can operate abroad. 

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

The 2025 NBA China Games exemplified excellence in global engagement by transforming an international preseason game into a fully localized, long-term growth platform.

Rather than approaching the China Games as a standalone event, the Brooklyn Nets executed a global campaign designed to position the franchise as China’s preferred NBA team through sustained cultural relevance, community investment, and localized innovation.

By co-creating local entertainment IP, launching a permanent China-based dance team, introducing Mandarin-translated branding, and investing in community through youth basketball, the franchise established sustained cultural and commercial presence within the market.

Through immersive NBA House experiences, grassroots youth basketball clinics, multilingual technology, business development, and culturally localized branding, the Nets deepened fandom in China, drove measurable audience growth, and generated new revenue streams.

Objective

The Brooklyn Nets approached the 2025 NBA China Games as a long-term global fan growth initiative, transforming a preseason international appearance into a fully integrated campaign.

The campaign objectives were to: 

1. Grow international fandom in China by positioning the Brooklyn Nets as China’s preferred NBA team through locally relevant content, cultural integration, media, community activations, youth basketball clinics and events.
2. Generate new revenue streams through new Chinese-based partners identified and cultivated by our China Business Team, the only such team in the NBA.
3. Deliver world-class hospitality and guest experience to deepen relationships with players, partners, clients, and influencers. 
4. Build long-term, scalable entertainment IP that enhances Brooklyn’s global brand identity and drives revenue.

Strategy & Execution

Immersive Fan Experience
The Nets activated a week-long NBA House experience, “Infinite Connection,” celebrating their record eighth game in China. The immersive space blended Brooklyn culture with Chinese storytelling and attracted more than 6,000 attendees, creating viral moments beyond the games. 

Youth & Community Investment
The Nets introduced Brooklyn Basketball programming in Hong Kong and Macao, hosting 15 clinics for 738 youth participants and committing to refurbish two public courts in HK.

Original Local Entertainment IP
In partnership with Tencent, the Nets co-produced CheersNets, the first Chinese NBA dance team audition variety show (1 teaser + 6 episodes). From 45 contestants, eight finalists formed “Brooklyn 8,” the Nets’ official China dance team, debuting in Macao and creating scalable international IP.
 

Multilingual Technology & Hospitality
To deliver best-in-class experience for global audiences and 600+ guests, the Nets built an exclusive app in four languages—English, Mandarin, French, and Russian. 

Business Development & Localization 
The Nets’ dedicated China Business Team engaged new Chinese partners and brands including 88VIP, MPASS, TMGM, MouTai, Molly Tea and more. Chinese business partners participated in two fireside chats with Nets ownership, conducted in Mandarin.

To demonstrate cultural respect, the Nets introduced Mandarin-translated Nets and Brooklyn Basketball logos.

Organizations

• • Brooklyn Nets
  • Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
  • Lord Stow’s
  • Tencent 
  • Eventist (Hong Kong)

Featured

• • Egor Dёmin
  • Vince Carter
  • David Beckham
  • Jackie Chan
  • Deron Williams
  • Stephon Marbury
  • Brooklyn 8
  • Jeremy Lin
  • Song Xiaobao
  • Gina Alice
  • Wu You

Credits

Perry Mattern
Director, Basketball Social Media
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Taj Martinez
Senior Manager, Content Management
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Thomas Garbett
Senior Manager, Photography
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Joshua Ni
Producer, Content
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Doron Tamari
Senior Director, International Marketing & Innovation
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Ron Goldenberg
Vice President, International Marketing & Innovation
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Benjamin Katz
Senior Manager, International Marketing & Innovation
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Sunshine Rogers
Vice President, Global Partnerships, China Business & Strategy
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Huiye (Agnes) Xie
Senior Coordinator, China Business & Strategy
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Xiang (Randy) Hu
Coordinator, China Business & Strategy
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Mengyang Liu
Director, China Business & Strategy
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Danby Wong
Senior Director, Consumer Technology
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Kate Mooney
Vice President, Events and Experience
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Joseph Esile
Vice President, Hospitality Operations
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Tony Eaton
Producer, Content
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Francesco Petitti
Producer, Content
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment