Shanghai (AFP)

The controversy between Beijing and the NBA on Hong Kong could be expensive for the North American basketball league, but the latter retains a major asset: its huge popularity with the Chinese public.

The tweet of Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, released on Friday in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, has caused a serious crisis for the NBA in China - one of its major markets.

Since then, Chinese sponsors have dropped the league, state television has canceled pre-season broadcasts, and many Chinese people, shocked, post inflammatory comments on social networks.

But North American basketball remains immensely popular in China, thanks in part to Yao Ming, the former Chinese star who has been ... by the Houston Rockets (2002-2011) and today director of the Chinese Basketball League ( CBA).

"When in China we talk about basketball, it's NBA", summarizes Mark Dreyer, who manages China Sports Insider, a website dedicated to the sports economic news of the Asian country.

In football, another popular sport in China, local football fans are spoiled for choice between England, Spain and Italy, says Dreyer.

But in basketball, the only alternative to the NBA would be the Chinese league: a modest league of 20 teams, very far from North America in terms of dramatic tension and level of play.

Proof of its popularity, the NBA has nearly 42 million subscribers on the Chinese social network Weibo. The Golden State Warriors, the most popular North American franchise, has more than 8.5 million.

For comparison, the most popular Chinese team does not even reach one million.

- Patriot but fan -

"Having a monopoly at the top of the sport has already allowed the NBA to become, without a doubt, the most popular championship in China," says a sports leader, who wishes to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the current crisis.

What consequences can the NBA now expect?

It has already lost several Chinese sponsors (including a smartphone manufacturer and a sports equipment supplier). And CCTV state television has announced that it will not broadcast two exhibition games between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers, scheduled this week in China.

"I do not think this case will prevent the Chinese to remain passionate" by the North American championship, judges the sports director interviewed by AFP.

And on the financial side, "it should not be that bad, because let's not forget that the NBA makes billions of dollars in profits in China," he adds.

Wearing a jersey of LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers superstar, Qu Wei is waiting with 50 other fans for the arrival of NBA players before a meeting with the press in Shanghai.

"Everyone is obviously aware of Morey's tweet and we think it's a mistake, but even patriotic, we're still sports fans," says the 26-year-old.

"I think we should not let the sport be spoiled by such complicated matters, it must remain separate."

- Social stability -

China has suffered during its history many invasions of foreign powers (Japan, France, United Kingdom, etc.). Scars that remain alive in the collective consciousness of many Chinese people.

This partly explains the susceptibility of the government and Internet users to any comment perceived as a challenge to the territorial integrity of the country - like the tweet of Daryl Morey.

The boss of the NBA, Adam Silver, who defended the freedom of expression of the leader of the Houston Rockets and refused to apologize, is expected in Shanghai to try to stop the crisis.

For its part, the Communist Party in power in China could now be careful not to alienate too much the population in this case, notes Bill Bishop, editor of the newsletter Sinocism.

"Fans, sponsors, websites and broadcasters can do without a team, but they can not and will not want to do without the entire championship," he says.

"A ban on the NBA in China would have a cost in terms of social stability, I am very serious."

© 2019 AFP