China - China's basketball league to set off among critics
China's domestic basketball league is ready to set off one of the most difficult seasons in its 15-year history following disaster performances of the national team at the East Asian Games at the end of the year. The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league will kick off on Saturday with its opener between Zhejiang Guangsha and Shanghai Sharks, Yao Ming's mother team which was bought by the Houston Rockets' center during the off season. Local medias and fans heavily criticized the national men's team as it finished without a medal after losing 91-59 to South Korea and 79-71 to Japan at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong this week.
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China's domestic basketball league is ready to set off one of the most difficult seasons in its 15-year history following disaster performances of the national team at the East Asian Games at the end of the year.
The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league will kick off on Saturday with its opener between Zhejiang Guangsha and Shanghai Sharks, Yao Ming's mother team which was bought by the Houston Rockets' center during the off season.
Local medias and fans heavily criticized the national men's team as it finished without a medal after losing 91-59 to South Korea and 79-71 to Japan at the East Asian Games in Hong Kong this week.
The losses reminded fans of the disappointing final upset by Iran, 70-52, at the Tianjin Asian Championships this summer and a following dismal Stank Vic Cup.
After successful journey at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as the Chinese men's team won the 8th placing and vast praises from the authorities and fans, China winded up the year of 2009 in the most embarrassing way.
The commitment of the new director of the CBA, Xin Lancheng, was questioned as his remarks "China was not the first-class team in Asia without Yao Ming", ignited fans and his predecessors.
His reforms on the CBA league were questioned, too.
The league changed its match format to leave a long time table for the national team camps. The regular-season matches are to be reduced to 60 percent of those of last season.
Foreign players will have shorter pitching time under new rules and their incomes will be cut sharply.
Sponsors and players were not happy with the changes but they have no power to challenge the priority of the national team camps.
Unless the camps gave no help to the results.
A series of bad results of the national team of the year put the authority into the center of the hurricane, and the CBA league might not save them from the critics.
Local security is ready to put more attention on the opener in Shanghai as fans called up on the internet to chant against Xin Lancheng during the match.
The league might face more difficulties as it is losing fans, who are complaining of the rule changes, the national team and decisions of the sport authorities.