NBA games return to Chinese state-run TV after lengthy blackout

NBA
(Image credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

NBA games are reportedly back on the air in China after an executive's Hong Kong tweet sparked an extended blackout.

China's state-run network China Central Television is broadcasting NBA games again as of this week, The New York Times and the Global Times reported. The Times noted that with one exception in 2020, the league's games have not aired on Chinese state TV since 2019. They've been broadcast on the streaming platform Tencent since then, but their return to state TV suggested the "rift" between China and the NBA "appears to be coming to an end," the Times wrote.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.