| From its early origin of the BAA, the NBA has come into existence for 63 years. The decision of setting up the NBA was made merely for filling up the empty hockey stadium and many teams lost money in their initial period. However, promoted by the integration of global economy and sports globalization, the NBA, assisted by efforts of commercial manipulation and by the entertainment media, has made itself a world-famous brand that blends sport movements, mass media and entertainment industries, which have simultaneously diffused throughout the world.This paper aims to search after the development history of the NBA and its characteristics in each period. The whole history of the NBA can be divided into four periods. Firstly, the NBA was set up in 1946 on the foundation of the development of early American professional basketball which had existed for more than half a century. Then in 1949 the BAA transferred its name to the NBA. These short years made the initial period of the NBA. Second, the NBA made key reform by integrating into American society, modifying rules in basketball games, conquering cities in Western America and cooperating with television. Third, the new NBA commissioner David Stern thrive the league by making stars and selling the games all over the world. Fourth, the NBA has entered an era of outreaching the world. And the NBA, as a Western culture, has greatly influenced the world culture with the globalization of the NBA games. |
