China TV Not Changing Stance on Airing NBA Games

CCTV has not aired NBA games since Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted his support for Hong Kong protestors last fall.

China's CCTV said it does not plan to resume airing NBA games amid the fallout from Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's tweet last fall.

CCTV commented on the situation for the first time in months when it released a statement to Beijing's Global Times, "reiterating its consistent stance on national sovereignty."

On Monday, the NBA named Michael Ma as the new CEO of NBA China. His father, Ma Guoli, is one of the founders of CCTV Sports and assisted in bringing live NBA games to the channel in the 90s. Some people speculated that Ma could help bring NBA game broadcasts back to China, but CCTV's statement proves otherwise. On Tuesday, Ma Guoli resigned as an advisor to the Chinese Basketball Association.

The NBA and China's relationship has been rocky since Morey tweeted his support for anti-government protests in Hong Kong. His tweet included a photo of protestors with the caption, "Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong." CCTV responded by pulling its NBA game broadcasts.

In February, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the league expected t lose "hundreds of millions of dollars" because of regressions in its China business.