For immediate release – The Charlotte Hornets and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to promote the Queen City in an unprecedented way. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the Hornets will travel to China for the 2015 NBA Global Games. Accompanying the Hornets will be Eileen Cai, a native of Shanghai and Asian economic development recruiter for the Charlotte Chamber.
The Hornets will play two exhibition games in China vs. the L.A. Clippers: Sunday, Oct. 11 in Shenzhen and Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Shanghai. In addition to the games, the Hornets will be participating in an NBA Cares Learn and Play Center dedication, a public fan appreciation event, and various events and appearances with corporate partners.
“We are thrilled to promote the Charlotte Hornets and NBA basketball on a global stage with our participation in the 2015 NBA Global Games China,” said Hornets President & COO Fred Whitfield. “Along with the games, we are excited to partner with the Charlotte Chamber to highlight all of the great opportunities the Queen City has to offer international businesses. We both believe that this is another tremendous opportunity to showcase the city of Charlotte.”
As the Hornets look to build their international fan base and corporate relationships, the NBA Global Games offers a unique platform for both organizations. Over the last five years, the number of Chinese companies with a presence in the Charlotte region has grown from five to 34. In fact, international firms now employ more than 61,400 people in the local economy, with 958 foreign-owned companies from 45 different countries calling the region home.
“We believe the partnership between the Hornets and the Charlotte Chamber will elevate the city’s profile and potentially serve as a catalyst to attract even more international investment to Charlotte,” said Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber CEO and president.
“This is a rare opportunity to spotlight all that Charlotte has to offer while supporting our hometown NBA team. The Hornets are very popular in China, and with the addition of Jeremy Lin, the level of excitement is even greater for these games,” said Cai. “To be able to network with Chinese business leaders and government officials in this kind of forum is invaluable.”
And the 2015 NBA Global Games are just the beginning of Charlotte’s chance to shine on the national and international stage. The Queen City will host the NBA All Star game at Time Warner Cable Arena in February 2017.
Fans can follow all of the Hornets activities while in China on the team’s website: hornets.com and through all of its social media platforms: Twitter: @hornets (#HornetsChina), Instagram: @hornets and Facebook: /hornets.
Media Contacts:Mike CristaldiVice president, CommunicationsHornets Sports & Entertainmentmcristaldi@hornets.com704.688.8866
Natalie DickVice president, Communications & ResearchCharlotte Chamberndick@charlottechamber.com704.378.1354
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