• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

NBA Pulling ASG From Charlotte

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
I think you're giving the NBA entirely too much credit when it comes to these decisions. They didn't make the decision with this thought in mind. Whether or not it would help the situation in North Carolina. They made the decision because the political winds have shifted enough that's its now the prudent thing to do for business purposes.

Perhaps, but perhaps the players and enough people have voiced their displeasure with the idea of hosting the ASG in a state that just adopted a rather draconian law that should be repealed.

It's likely a combination of these things. But in all of this, I'm not saying the NBA is somehow at the forefront of civil rights; I'm simply applauding them for doing what's right in this particular instance.

Bravo, NBA.

Now, if you want to continue that on to China; I'm right there with you. But do so in a way that will get the results you want, rather than just sending a big "F-U" to the Chinese people.

That's ultimately my point. They didn't pull out of Charlotte because they actually believe they are making a difference and doing the right thing.

How do you know this? You don't think this was even a modicum of their rationale?

They did it because there is now so much outside pressure to do so that there is a real threat to their business model if they did not do so.

Which is great; but I don't think Adam Silver or the players or the former players or the league in general are overly happy about the situation in North Carolina.

Again, I think you're speaking a bit too much about the motives of the NBA rather than the action in itself. Much of this stuff we simply cannot know.

Loss of prestige, loss of ad revenue, etc. This is the same reason they will not be removing preseason games from China.

Again, I disagree. What is the benefit of removing preseason games from China? What happens in China as a result? Is there even a remote possibility that doing so would result in any meaningful change, whatsoever?

Right now, they are under virtually no pressure to do so and thus no threat of financial/business consequence for failing to do so.

Because the issue is simply far more complex than a boycott of China. But, I do agree, there are critical issues that need to be addressed.

That's what motivates them. And that's why I want a reporter to bring this up with Adam Silver, to put him on the spot. He won't be prepared to rattle of the 7 points you just listed because that's not apart of his thinking, at all.

I can't speak to his thinking, and I wouldn't mind if a reporter asked him about China.

I don't think that the NBA should boycott China though; although, what they should do, is use the venue to promote human rights, dignity, and awareness of human rights abuses -- and they should attempt to do so without infringement from the CCP.

Now, if the CCP were to ban the NBA from the country; that'd be a different matter entirely.
 
Cleveland would be a better option than New Orleans because we would know how to put on a party for it, and YOU KNOW the fans would go nuts over it.

Give us a go damnit.
 
Because the NBA can affect change in North Carolina. The NBA cannot affect change in China.

Given how threatening to pull the All-Star Game did absolutely nothing here, apparently they can't affect change in North Carolina either.
 
Given how threatening to pull the All-Star Game did absolutely nothing here, apparently they can't affect change in North Carolina either.

We'll see.. I'd bet the law is repealed in the next year or so.
 
We'll see.. I'd bet the law is repealed in the next year or so.

You mean after McCrory is voted out of office? If the NBA really had any sway, the All-Star game never would have been moved.
 
You mean after McCrory is voted out of office? If the NBA really had any sway, the All-Star game never would have been moved.

I'm not sure what you mean, but change doesn't always happen overnight. Simply because the NBA can't get the law changed alone, it can add to the number of businesses refusing to do business in North Carolina due to the law.
 
Because the NBA can affect change in North Carolina. The NBA cannot affect change in China.

I highly doubt this the first, but even if so, it's just an excuse to not do the right thing in the second. "It won't make a difference, so why try" line of thinking.

They take a stand, then maybe the next entity takes one, and so and so on.
 
I highly doubt this the first, but even if so, it's just an excuse to not do the right thing in the second. "It won't make a difference, so why try" line of thinking.

They take a stand, then maybe the next entity takes one, and so and so on.

Again, because the two situations should not be equated; as you stated up-thread.

Moving the All-Star Game is a big deal; not having preseason games in China, or even an outright boycott, will accomplish absolutely nothing. You will not increase awareness in China by doing this; and in fact, you will very likely have Chinese people become more engrained in their insular and paranoid beliefs as a result.

Simply put, there are better ways to achieve the ends you're hoping for, and that's very likely through engagement and commerce rather than shutting the Chinese off completely.

These two worthy goals should not be continuously conflated like this. You can't apply the same solution to both problems.
 
So lets say you a transgender basketball fan that lives in NC and were really looking forward to going to the all star game?

Arent you now being punished twice for your state's bigotry?
 
So lets say you a transgender basketball fan that lives in NC and were really looking forward to going to the all star game?

Arent you now being punished twice for your state's bigotry?

Are you serious or joking?
 
Moving the All-Star Game is a big deal; not having preseason games in China, or even an outright boycott, will accomplish absolutely nothing. You will not increase awareness in China by doing this; and in fact, you will very likely have Chinese people become more engrained in their insular and paranoid beliefs as a result.

Simply put, there are better ways to achieve the ends you're hoping for, and that's very likely through engagement and commerce rather than shutting the Chinese off completely.

This. I live, work, and study in China and it's laughable to think removing pre- season games from China will do anything. If you want change, you continue to expose the younger generations to anything related to Western culture. From my experiences, Shanghai is pretty socially progressive amongst the younger population-obviously they are very outweighed by the older populations, but it is promising. A small example, walk around any of the major subway stations in the city and there are huge ads promoting acceptance of transgenders and mixed races. I lived in Chicago previously and never saw top ad spaces with messages as such.

China will always be behind the curve on social issues as they are with a lot of problems in that country, but further containing them in the bubble that exists doesn't fix anything.
 
This. I live, work, and study in China and it's laughable to think removing pre- season games from China will do anything. If you want change, you continue to expose the younger generations to anything related to Western culture. From my experiences, Shanghai is pretty socially progressive amongst the younger population-obviously they are very outweighed by the older populations, but it is promising. A small example, walk around any of the major subway stations in the city and there are huge ads promoting acceptance of transgenders and mixed races. I lived in Chicago previously and never saw top ad spaces with messages as such.

China will always be behind the curve on social issues as they are with a lot of problems in that country, but further containing them in the bubble that exists doesn't fix anything.

I gotta tell you, it's no more laughable to think removing pre-season basketball games from China would change things than it is to think having them there changes things in the first place.
 
Again, because the two situations should not be equated; as you stated up-thread.

Moving the All-Star Game is a big deal; not having preseason games in China, or even an outright boycott, will accomplish absolutely nothing. You will not increase awareness in China by doing this; and in fact, you will very likely have Chinese people become more engrained in their insular and paranoid beliefs as a result.

Simply put, there are better ways to achieve the ends you're hoping for, and that's very likely through engagement and commerce rather than shutting the Chinese off completely.

These two worthy goals should not be continuously conflated like this. You can't apply the same solution to both problems.

See above. You're offering no proof that either action will have your desired impact.

You just assume removing the All-Star game from North Carolina will force a change, and you just assume that the NBA continuing to do business in China will have a positive impact as well.

I think it's an incredibly convenient argument for the NBA. Get out of Charlotte just as it becomes the easy and, frankly, practical thing to do while not having to think about removing itself from China and putting at risk a potentially huge revenue stream.

Meanwhile, even if I were to accept the premise that the NBA couldn't help change the situation in China (and let's assume I think that should be the reason for action, which I don't) by boycotting the country, they also aren't even speaking up about human rights abuses, like you said you wished they would. Should a reporter not ask Adam Silver about that fact, at least?
 
If Cleveland can't get the All-Star Game, I nominate Orlando.

It would be fitting, not only in removing the ASG from Charlotte, as sad as it is for Charlotte considering they were victimized by fanatics in the GOP legislature in an essentially secret emergency session, but to also stick it to that shitbag McRory (probably a closeted gay man himself, like many of these guys) by having the ASG in a location that honors the mostly LGBT victims of the nightclub massacre.

As for what the NC state GOP did to Charlotte (aside from costing the state billions so far thanks to their hate), isn't it a good thing the GOP believes in local government? Many GOP state legislatures in their various "Religious Freedom" bills have proved their devotion to local government by actively stripping municipalities of their ability to write their own ordinances. This is what happens when religious fanatics take over a party. As a reminder from a REAL Republican:

Goldwater1_zpss40zazt0.jpg
And specifically:
GoldwaterGay_zpsrklgduyc.jpg
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top