China Factor: The Globalization of the NCAA

     In late August 2012, the UCLA men's basketball team went international and played in China against local competition, whom they beat in all three scheduled contests (UCLA Bruins, 2012). There has been a recent push to expand the NCAA globally due to its ability to do so and the benefits of doing so. That ability largely comes from the massive amount of money - nearly $1 billion - the NCAA makes in a year, of which, over 80% comes from the Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (Alesia, 2014). Quite obviously, the NCAA's push for globalization is a refusal to accept limits, which is an aspect of the Sport Ethic, as it promotes schools, conferences and American sports beyond our borders (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 309). The opportunity to travel across the globe is a unique experience that has the potential to set athletes, schools, and conferences apart from others, which is also a dimension of the Sport Ethic due to the desire to strive for distinction (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 309). From experience, I know that certain games are capable of generating a unique eagerness to hit the field, whether it is who we are about to face, what is on the line, or even the very field that we are about to step foot on. It is for this seemingly innate excitement that the UCLA men's basketball team looked forward to their China trip with the hope that it would kickstart their year following a disappointing 2011-2012 season (Katz, 2012). Additionally, giving athletes the chance to immerse themselves in another culture is generally an unforgettable experience that may give rise to new interests and thoughts as well as reflecting well upon the university and organization that made such a trip possible.
     Though the UCLA men's basketball team could have received a cultural experience elsewhere, China was chosen as their destination because basketball is the most popular sport in China (Katz, 2012). For this reason, Chinese teams offer good competition for American teams, as well as a potential tap for new, young talent. Recent trends in collegiate sports, including basketball, have coaches recruiting foreign talent to fill out the best teams possible, and the globalization of basketball has allowed coaches to find high-quality players in minimally exposed places (Winn, 2010). The Pac-12 commissioner also chose China due to the diverse demographic profiles UCLA and other conference schools possess, with the intent to help spread the NCAA outside of the US (Katz, 2012). Essentially what the commissioner did by choosing the recognizable flagship program UCLA men's basketball is, was generate a more diverse crowd overseas containing both alumni and current students, so as to spread popularity internationally. In order to help with this expansion, the commissioner has also made a few important hires including that of a Shanghai-native who now serves as a Pac-12 senior manager (Katz, 2012). This was done in order to help the NCAA in the business realm of the globalization process and I would not be surprised if the UCLA players and staff were taught certain cultural behaviors prior to the trip, as well as being provided with a few translators on the trip to help knock down the language barrier. Each of these assets costs money, however as previously mentioned, the NCAA has a rather deep wallet and the globalization of basketball is proving to be a priority of theirs. 
   Though all of this is being conveyed optimistically, there are certainly consequences of this globalization process. When facing another school, the players are playing for the name on the front of their uniform, however as soon as international borders are crossed, they are now representative of their home nation. This can be problematic because a new degree of emotion is mixed into the game for these young collegiate athletes, so much so that it could lead to violence as was seen when Georgetown's men's basketball team brawled with a Chinese team on Chinese turf (Katz, 2012). That fight was spun positively as a "bonding moment" for the team, but it ultimately reveals another element to the dark-side of this expansion - despite what may seem like bringing two nations together via sport, is actually more about the selfish betterment of the American school, conference and sport (Katz, 2012). As mentioned before, the unique opportunity of traveling outside the country gets people energized, however that excitement can also result in harm to the player due to the heightened feeling of needing to play through pain. For example, three months prior to UCLA's big trip, an incoming freshman had thumb surgery and although the coaches explained that they were not counting on him to make a return in time, they also did not count him out because the surgery was not as serious as anticipated (Katz, 2012). This is indicative of the "accept risks and play through pain" mentality that is an omnipresent dimension of the Sport Ethic (Hughes & Coakley, 1991, p. 308). With all of this in mind, it will be interesting to watch the globalization of NCAA basketball, as well as other sports, and the problems that may arise.

Word Count:  856

Works Cited

     
Alesia, M. (2014, March 27). NCAA approaching $1 billion per year amid challenges by players. Retrieved September 10, 2014.


Hughes, Robert, and Jay Coakley. (1991). Positive Deviance Among Athletes: The Implications of       Overconformity to the Sport Ethic. Sociology of Sport Journal, 8, 307-12. 

Katz, Andy. (2012). Trip to China Will Jump-start UCLA's Season. ESPN.

UCLA Bruins Official Athletic Site. (2012, August 29). Retrieved September 10, 2014.

Winn, L. (2010). The Luxury Imports Are Here. Sports Illustrated, 112(9), 58-61