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More than half a billion (585 million) people globally play basketball annually, the National Basketball Association (NBA) discovered through a YouGov-run fan survey two years ago. It is an international sport with a great deal of potential for further growth outside of its core U.S. and Canadian bases. And as it aims to tap that potential across Europe, for the third year, the NBA will host a stand-alone match in Paris, France.
Set to take place on Jan. 11 at the Accor Arena and featuring the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA Paris Game aims to capture interest in the sport, which is at a record high in the country due to the number of French players in the league, including Victor Wembanyama, currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
NBA basketball has been running in France since the mid-’80s, even though the league has yet to open an office in the country. It currently has 17 offices worldwide across Beijing, Cairo, Dakar, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Lagos, London, Madrid, Manila, Mexico City, Mumbai, Nairobi, New York/New Jersey, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Singapore and Toronto, showcasing its global reach as a brand.
