The NBA’s secret weapon for winning fans in Japan

Growing demand: Spectators watch a pre-game performance during the NBA Japan Games pre-season game between the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards. Ticket sales this year are about 40% higher than they were for the 2019 games. — AFP

TOKYO: On a recent Sunday afternoon, a basketball fan in a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey took his seat for a pre-season NBA game in a sold-out arena.

This would have been unremarkable if not for the fact the game was taking place 8,046 km away from United States shores and the Cavaliers weren’t even part of it.