Nets’ international popularity turned them into NBA’s ambassadors
NY Post
The Nets have gone abroad more than any team in the NBA, exporting the league to the rest of the world more than anybody else.
Their globetrotting ways aren’t going to change anytime soon, with Brooklyn set to face Cleveland on Thursday at Accor Arena in Paris.
“The Nets specifically are incredibly willing to play games outside of the U.S. It’s the team that’s played the most games outside of the U.S., be it as Brooklyn Nets or obviously in the past as New Jersey,” George Aivazoglou, the NBA’s vice president, head of fan engagement told The Post. This trip shows that’s likely to continue. “Yes, that’s an indication obviously. We feel incredibly lucky to have the Nets — and teams like the Nets — to show that strong intention.
“That’s happening for a few reasons. Obviously, the team and the executives are very much internationally oriented as well; their marketing content is being created in [mind of a] global fan base. Also, it’s a great representation of Brooklyn in itself. Brooklyn is very diverse, a lot of different cultures and ethnicities and nationalities who live in Brooklyn. So I think they should embody that.
“And that shows in the numbers. The global fan base of the Nets is in the tens of millions. It’s [over] 50 million, which is tremendous. They’re in the top-3 teams that are followed here in France, and if we look at countries outside the U.S. in general, they’re in the top 10. So the plans and the work that the guys deliver have yielded tremendous results.”
The Nets have played 23 league games outside of the U.S. and Canada, more than any NBA team.
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