Blackburn Slams NBA’s China Ties: Demands Transparency on Media Rights, Human Rights

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., turned up the heat on NBA executive Bill Koenig during a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday, grilling him over the league’s murky ties with China. The discussion, part of a broader look at media rights and broadcasting across major sports leagues, zeroed in on the NBA’s financial and ethical entanglements with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Blackburn didn’t mince words, pointing to the NBA’s cozy relationship with China, especially after the 2019 fallout from then-Rockets GM Daryl Morey’s tweet supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. That single tweet, proclaiming “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong,” led to China yanking NBA broadcasts from state-run media for nearly a year. The league’s eventual return to Chinese airwaves, Blackburn suggested, smelled like a backroom deal. “What are those broadcast rights worth?” she pressed Koenig, the NBA’s president of global content and media distribution. “And how much have NBA owners invested in China?”

Koenig dodged specifics, citing the league’s policy of not disclosing financial terms. Estimates, however, peg China’s media rights as worth hundreds of millions to the NBA, with owners reportedly sinking up to $10 billion into the country. Blackburn wasn’t buying the sidestep. She raised concerns about human rights, citing cases like Enes Kanter Freedom, who faced backlash for criticizing China’s abuses. “Can you commit that the NBA upholds freedom of speech and American ideals in every global deal?” she asked. Koenig insisted the league values free speech, noting Morey faced no discipline for his tweet, though China’s reaction spoke volumes.

The NBA’s dance with China remains a high-stakes game. Commissioner Adam Silver has hinted at bringing games back to the country, despite past financial hits when sponsors fled during the 2019 tensions. For now, the league’s balancing act—between profits and principles—continues to draw scrutiny.