The Cleveland Cavaliers will honor two of the NBA’s largest global markets as the team prepares to host a pair of international theme nights that will be tailored specifically for fans watching the games live in Australia and China. On January 25th, the Wine & Gold will host its first-ever Australia Day Celebration powered by UP&GO, and its first Chinese New Year Celebration presented by ZTE on February 8th. In addition to the games being available on NBA League Pass in each country, they will be broadcast on two major networks in each respective country, on ESPN Australia and CCTV in China, as the Cavs salute their fans across the world live from Cleveland.
The two theme nights are a reflection of the team’s worldwide coverage and appeal. With the continued growth of the Cavaliers global audience, the team’s popularity has opened the doors to expand its international reach with opportunities to showcase the Cavs brand and connect with a passionate fan base that is so close, yet so far away.
The Australia Day Celebration introduces a partnership between the Cavs and Australian-based company Sanitarium, which produces the popular Australian breakfast drink UP&GO. Sanitarium also has a personal relationship with Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova who hails from Maryborough, Australia. Both partnerships speak to the strong NBA fan base in Australia, which is home to the largest number of NBA League Pass subscribers. (There are eight Australian players currently in the NBA, including the Cavs’ Kyrie Irving who was born in Melbourne and has dual citizenship in both Australia and the United States.)
The Cavs Chinese New Year Celebration is part of a league-wide initiative to pay tribute to its largest international fan base. In China, the NBA is the most watched professional sport and basketball is played by over 300 million people across the country. The Cavs specifically have one of the largest subscriber bases in the NBA on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo with over 1.4 million followers. Through Weibo, Cavs fans in China can stay up-to-date with the latest team news and information in their native language, Mandarin.
Australia Day Celebration powered by UP&GO Monday, January 25th, Cavs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Cavaliers will celebrate ties to the Land Down Under when the team hosts its first Australia Day Celebration powered by UP&GO, on Monday, January 25th at 7:00 p.m. vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves at The Q. Australia Day is a national holiday that is celebrated annually on January 26th and marks the anniversary of the first European settlement at Port Jackson, now part of Sydney, in 1788.
The Cavs game will be available live on NBA LEAGUE PASS and broadcast on ESPN in Australia. While the Cavs will play on January 25th in Cleveland, due to a 16-hour time difference, the game will actually be seen in Australia the morning of Australia Day, January 26th, treating Aussie fans to a special holiday presentation that will pay homage to their country. As a nod to the viewing Australian audience, Cavs fans attending the game at The Q are asked to join in the celebration by wearing Australia’s national colors, gold and green.
The special theme night will start with the “UP&GO Cavaliers Breakfast Show,” a 20-minute live streamed pregame show on Cavs.com that will feature exclusive pregame content. The Cavs game presentation will feature:
