Major change to Chinese basketball governance kicks in

File photo shows Yao Ming. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

A major change in the way basketball is governed in China comes into force on April 1.

The duties of the basketball administrative center under China's top sports administration will be officially transferred to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

It means the CBA League will be run totally by the CBA, a civil organization. The CBA will also from now on be responsible for the development of the national teams, teenage players and social basketball.

The reform follows the election of former NBA star Yao Ming as the president of the CBA on February 23 this year.

"The league should be run by those it concerns (rather than governmental officials) to address the real demand of its development while representing the interests of clubs," said Yao.

On November 22 last year, the CBA together with 20 top-tier clubs founded the CBA League (Beijing) Sports Co. with Yao Ming as its vice chairman. 

Work to authorize the business rights and promotional rights of the CBA League to the CBA company is already underway. 

Establishing the company was considered a revolution for the CBA, which had campaigned for more market-oriented operations like the NBA, which is managed by its investors.

It's reported that the CBA company is in talks about sponsorship and copyright of the league, bringing an end to 21 years of the CBA league being sponsored by only one company.