The US National Basketball Association (NBA) has partnered with Chinese sports retailer Topsports and its official on-court apparel provider Nike to open the league’s largest store outside North America.
The new 1145sqm NBA China store at Intime Mall on Beijing’s premier shopping street Wangfujing spans two floors and carries a range of products from jerseys and footwear through to basketballs and memorabilia. Customisable jerseys will be available for fans to personalise via the store’s “NBA Me” service, while other products are designed to reflect Beijing-specific themes including Chinese opera masks and local food. The store’s design is inspired by authentic NBA arenas with a hardwood floor.
“Our largest NBA Store outside North America underscores the NBA’s long-standing commitment to serving our fans in China,” said NBA China CEO Derek Chang.
“As the appetite for official NBA products continues to grow in China, this brand-new retail space will provide fans with authentic NBA gear and accessories, exclusive memorabilia and localised products that celebrate their passion for the NBA.”
“Our goal is to make the Beijing flagship NBA Store a landmark for NBA fans in Beijing by offering them the new retail experience and wide category of merchandise,” said Topsports deputy GM Tian Zhong.
“We will leverage our extensive retail experience to work closely with the NBA and Nike to provide a variety of products, good customer experience and membership service to all the NBA fans in China.”