BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s ANTA Sports Products Ltd (2020.HK) said on Tuesday it will halt contract renewal negotiations with the National Basketball Association (NBA), adding to the list of Chinese firms cutting ties with the league.
Chinese sponsors have been severing ties with U.S. basketball league following a tweet by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey supporting the protesters in Hong Kong, which he quickly deleted over the weekend.
Anta said in a statement on social media platform Weibo the company opposes any action that harms China’s interests and was dissatisfied with the comments by the Houston Rockets and NBA executives. The company did not provide details on the nature of the contract that was being negotiated.
Anta has endorsement contracts with several NBA athletes including as Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward.
Reporting by Beijing Monitoring Desk; Editing by Andrew Heavens