Business in China: Economic Consequences for Freedom of Expression

This appeared in The Millennial Source

“Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.”

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed his support for the Hong Kong protests on Twitter on October 4. The tweet, which has since been deleted, caused a public outcry in China and resulted in a costly fight between the N.B.A. and China, the league’s highest priority and largest international market.

Despite deleting the tweet and apologizing shortly after, stating that his view did not represent that of the N.B.A. or the Rockets, the damage could not be undone. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV responded by suspending broadcasts of the league’s preseason games played in China. Chinese sponsors Li Ning and the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Card Center both said they would pause partnerships with the Rockets.

Speaking at the Time 100 Health Summit on October 10, the league’s commissioner Adam Silver said that the Chinese government had asked the N.B.A. to fire Morey, which he refused. The Chinese government has denied this claim.

Silver added that the consequences of the tweet “have already been substantial. Our games are not back on the air in China as we speak, and we’ll see what happens next.”