In brief
N.B.A. players are increasingly turning to specialized social media management companies to navigate China's unique digital landscape. Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is among those leveraging firms such as East Goes Global to grow their online presence, leading to significant follower gains on local social media platforms. This approach helps players overcome language barriers and cultural nuances in a market where western platforms are unavailable.
Jalen Brunson, currently shining as a guard for the New York Knicks, had his first taste of the N.B.A.'s vast international market during a 2018 preseason trip to China with the Dallas Mavericks. The fervent reception he and his teammates received left an indelible mark on him. "I thought it was really cool and interesting, something I wanted to be a part of," Brunson reflected in a recent interview.With aspirations of deepening his engagement in this enormous fanbase, Brunson took proactive steps ahead of the current season, enlisting his representatives at Creative Arts Agency to collaborate with a digital management firm, East Goes Global. This partnership focuses on creating and managing Brunson's social media footprint in China. Since then, he has amassed over 400,000 followers on several major Chinese platforms, including Bilibili, Douyin, RedNote, Weibo, and WeChat.Brunson is among numerous N.B.A. athletes striving to cultivate an online identity in a nation where basketball fandom runs deep. Yet, with the unique challenges posed by language differences and societal norms, not to mention access restrictions to popular Western platforms like YouTube and Instagram, many players are recognizing the value of expertise in navigating the local digital space.“I think it’s important to understand your audience," Brunson noted. "I know what I don’t know, which is why I let experts handle the intricacies of this process. They really run it, while I remain the face.”East Goes Global, established in 2018 by Andrew Spalter, a previous music manager based in Austin, Texas, is one of several companies catering to this niche. Coral Lu, a former ESPN reporter, manages the Chinese social media for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, while the Mailman agency, owned by IMG and situated in Shanghai, supports a range of accounts for numerous active players.
