Taiwan will host a National Basketball Association ( NBA ) game for the first time when the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers play an exhibition game at Taipei Arena Oct. 8, a breakthrough for a country in which the NBA has a devoted following.
NBA China CEO Tim Chen, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling and Chinese Taipei Basketball Association Chairman Wang Jen-tar were on hand when the announcement was made, with Chen describing the game as the "best gift" for the long-term support of Taiwanese NBA fans. "Oct. 8 will become a historic day for the NBA and millions of local fans in Taiwan. We are honored to present two of the best NBA teams to Taiwanese fans, who are full of passion for the game," Chen said.
Taipei will become the 8th Asian city to host an NBA exhibition or regular season game. Tokyo, Yokohoma and Saitama hosted six regular season two-game series between 1990 and 2003, while exhibitions have been held in recent years in Beijing, Guangzhou, Macau, and Shanghai.
Tai said 2009 was a year of sports for Taiwan, as the NBA exhibition game joins the World Games scheduled to be held in Kaohsiung in July and the Deaflympics in Taipei in September as marquee events.
Hau said Taipei was honored to be chosen to host an NBA game.
"The Taipei City government will use all administrative resources to make the game a great success," the Taipei mayor said.
According to the organizers, a series of NBA -related activities, including the NBA Cares program that promotes social responsibility and community charity, will be held before the game between the Nuggets and Pacers is contested in the 12,874-seat Taipei Arena.
Led by two-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony and 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets provided a strong challenge to the Los Angeles Lakers before being ousted by the eventual NBA champion in the 2009 Western Conference Championship.
The rebuilding Pacers finished ninth in the NBA's Eastern Conference in the 2008-2009 season, three games out of a playoff spot. They are led by Danny Granger, who won the 2008-2009 NBA Most Improved Player Award, and point guard T.J. Ford.
Tickets for the game, one of only two NBA games to be played in Asia this year, will go on sale June 22 exclusively for Cathay United Bank credit card holders at www.allgenki.net/ticket before being opened to everyone on June 25.
The organizers said ticket prices will range from $800NT-7,500 ($24US-228) to satisfy all kinds of NBA fans in Taiwan.
