TAIPEI, China — It’s game day in this remote village in southwestern China, and the atmosphere is full of excitement.
With thousands of fans watching on outdoor courts nestled in the rugged hills of Guizhou province, and millions more watching online, teams across China are playing CunBA, a grassroots version of the National Basketball Association. They are competing to become the champion. A play on the Chinese word “cun” which means “village”.
Basketball is hugely popular in China, and despite past political controversy, the NBA continues to broadcast games. China also has its own men’s professional league, the China Basketball Association, but recent allegations of corruption and match-fixing have displeased many fans.
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Some see CunBA as a purer version of the sport, which has become something of a national obsession, with the Taipans calling themselves the capital. The game will be livestreamed on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, and will be watched by millions of fans who may have never heard of this small village in one of the country’s poorest provinces. .
They have also invited NBA stars like Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who visited Taipan Island last July.
The players are amateurs, admission is free, and the stands are packed with fans eating noodles, sunflower seeds and meat skewers.
The fans are of all ages, and most are local or from neighboring provinces. In addition to farmers, there were also women wearing traditional costumes from the Miao ethnic minority and women carrying babies on their backs. They shake their clapsticks, bang pots and pans, cheer their team on in various Chinese dialects, and hold umbrellas in the rain as the announcer cheers on every dribble, drive, and dunk.
There are no big contracts or sponsorships here. In fact, players are not paid. In return, the winning team is rewarded with roasted meat, local delicacies, and even cows and other live animals.
Sam Chen, 27, has been playing basketball for 10 years, but this is his first year at CunBA. He is part of a 12-person team representing his hometown, Dalang city in southern Guangdong province.
“It’s very special for us to represent our village and show our basketball talent,” said Mr. Chen, a chef whose favorite NBA team is the Lakers.
Long Chen, a 43-year-old teacher who came from the nearby city of Kaili to watch the match, said the match was “a way for everyone to come together.”
When asked which team he supports, he answered, “I think every team.”
Taipan has hosted an annual basketball tournament for decades, but in recent years it has begun to attract spectators from further afield.
For big games like the October finals, Taipan’s population increases from 1,200 to more than 20,000, as teams and fans drive from hundreds of miles away. Those who cannot enter the stands will watch the game on a large screen outside.
As a result, the entire tourism economy has sprung up around the Olympics. His new CunBA hotel is under construction, and a busy street lined with food stalls leads up to the entrance to the courthouse. A market has been set up to promote local specialties and Miao crafts, and souvenir shops sell hats, keychains, jerseys, and other items.
Sam Chen said he once had a dream of playing in the NBA, but for now he is proud to represent his hometown in the Chinese Village League.
“I thought so from a young age, but now I just want to join CunBA with my brothers and show my talent,” he said.