On Monday, the NBA and Rakuten announced that the Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets will play two preseason games in Japan in October 2019. The announcement was made in Tokyo by Rakuten Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani and the NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy. The NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also participated in the announcement from New York via live video conference. The two preseason games will be on Tuesday, October 8 and Thursday, October 10 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
During the announcement, Mickey Mikitani talked about Rakuten’s role with the arrangement of the NBA Japan preseason games.
“Rakuten is committed to its mission of empowering people and society through innovation, and our partnership with the NBA is motivated by the power sports have to move individuals and society as a whole. By bringing NBA games to Japan this fall, Rakuten has a great opportunity to contribute to the further growth and development of the global basketball community.”
These games represent the thirteenth and fourteenth NBA games that are hosted in Japan. Between 1990 and 2003 the NBA had 12 regular season games hosted in Japan at Saitama City, Tokyo, and Yokohama. The Rockets visited Japan in 1992 when they played two regular-season games in Yokohama. The Raptors will visit Japan for the first time to play this preseason games.
Adam Silver talked about the importance of bringing NBA Japan games to countries in Asia that have an advanced sports culture.
“Bringing NBA preseason games to Japan will help accelerate the growth of basketball in a country that features a thriving sports culture and one of the world’s largest economies. Building on our long history in Japan, we are pleased to partner with Mickey and his team at Rakuten to share the authentic, live game experience with the NBA’s growing Japanese fan base.”
The NBA and Rakuten started their partnership in 2017 for the distribution of NBA games in Japan and also as a marketing partner. With the deal fans in Japan are able to see NBA games with Rakuten TV. Rakuten also has a sponsorship deal with the Golden State Warriors and have their logo in the Warriors jersey.
