Most people would agree that football is the signature sport of the U.S. While it may be incredibly popular in America, to the rest of the world, football is what we call soccer. Basketball, on the other hand, is one of the only sports that both the U.S. and the rest of the world have a great passion for, and the National Basketball Association is capitalizing on that passion.

The NBA Global Games is an initiative to spread the NBA to other parts of the world, and it has really expanded in the last few years. The NBA has had at least one Global Game annually since 1988, but its presence in foreign countries has increased due to both more games scheduled outside the U.S. and the ability for foreign fans to watch NBA games online. This season, the NBA has five preseason games and two regular season games scheduled on foreign soil.

Events like the FIBA World Cup and the basketball portion of the Olympics show basketball truly is a global game. The NBA, by scheduling games in these other 
countries, has nothing to lose.

With a new, rich TV deal that could triple its revenue, the NBA is in a good financial position. It is worth it to try out various ways to spread its fame throughout the world, and the Global Games are an 
excellent way to do just that.