China is upset because Daryl Morey, General Manager of the Houston Rockets sent out a tweet on October 5. The tweet launched a complaint in favor of boycotting the Rockets and a rampage against the team. On October 5, Daryl Morey, General Manager of Houston Rockets tweeted a photo “Fight for freedom, Stand with Hong Kong.” On October 6, the Paper, People’s Daily, and other official media carried an article titled, “The statement that the Houston Rockets General Manager Made on Hong Kong Upset Fans in China. Don’t you want the Chinese Market anymore?” In the article, it claimed that Morey’s “Hong Kong Independence tweet” has upset Rockets fans in China. It quoted a statement that a Chinese NBA commentator made that the Rockets cannot benefit from China while condemning China at the same time. … Even after Yao Ming retired from the Houston Rockets, the Rockets continued to receive financial support from numerous commercial sponsors in China. … ESPN has received tens of millions in support from China over the past four years.” Meanwhile news media including CCTV and Ten cent, Sports programs, Rocket sponsors in China, and the Chinese Basketball Association announced that they will temporarily suspend future collaboration with the Rockets. China’s Consulate General in Houston issued a complaint which requested that the Rockets “take corrective actions and eliminate this bad influence.” The article also mentioned a prior case when Dolce & Gabbana portrayed an “insulting” image about China; it has since been boycotted from entering the Chinese market.
[Editor’s Note: On October 6, Daryl Morey deleted the original tweet on Hong Kong and tweeted that … my tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA. On October 7, the NBA issued a statement that, Daryl’s “tweet does not represent the Rockets or the NBA, the values of the league support individuals’ educating themselves and sharing their views. . . .” However, numerous parties lambasted the league’s decision to apologize at all.]Sources:
1. The Paper, October 6, 2019
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_4609604
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_4612025
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_46111862
2. Radii, Chinese Fans Urge Boycott After Houston Rockets
https://radiichina.com/houston-rockets-china-hong-kong