International sport labor migration continues to be a driving force for increased competition in the world of modern sports and the sports labor market.
Globalization has connected markets across many industries and crosses borders between nations. As a result, the global sports market has greatly benefited from the growth of globalization and has fed international talent into many countries, in terms of labor, talent and competition levels, expanding across country borders for their audience. Basketball as a sport has advanced in its pursuit to market itself around the world and has also benefited from globalization and international sport labor, as markets continue to overlap and compete for the global audience, specifically the United States’ National Basketball Association (hereafter, NBA) which in turn has influenced the development of the Chinese Basketball Association (hereafter, CBA) (Luo, Lai & Huang, 2015).
Over the past two decades, the NBA has elevated basketball as an international sports league, creating an international sphere of influence and becoming the most dominating and competitive basketball league in the world, the ultimate sign of athleticism and competition (Maguire, 2004). In the 21st century, more players are converging onto the CBA market, China’s top-tier league, for a chance to compete in a quickly growing market, which has become the next biggest professional basketball league next to the NBA. In the past, most players only considered European leagues as their only other option to play professionally if they did earn a spot on an NBA roster. However, most recently, more basketball players have turned to China as the next best option, following in the steps of famous former NBA players, such as Stephon Marbury, as a way to continue their professional careers.
Much of sports labor migration research has centered primary on the migration trends of soccer players and the various leagues and countries in Europe (Maguire & Stead, 1998; Frick, 2009). Maguire, for example, frequently examined migration trend among soccer players through the European Union and created a player typology based on these trends, which is often referenced by other researchers (Maguire & Stead, 1998; Maguire & Pearton, 2000). Additionally, Magee and Sugden (2002) researched international soccer players in England and formulated a player taxonomy, which illustrates experimental measures for sports
labor migration. Orlowski, Wicker, and Breuer (2016) focused their research on the professional sports coaches in Germany and the likelihood of their migrations.
Other studies have focused on relationship between globalization and immigration of female soccer players (Botelho & Agergaard, 2011). Other studies have addressed sports migration patterns and the demographics behind them, such as for soccer (Borges, Rosado, Oliveira, & Freitas, 2015) and baseball (Takahashi
& Horne, 2006). Much of the past research has highlighted sports such as soccer and baseball, in European counties (Maguire, 2004). However, these studies have been limited to a few select sports in the oversaturated western regions of North America and Europe. Other studies have branched out to other regions, such as Takahashi and Horne (2006) researched Japanese baseball players. They have also introduced the economic factors that influence sport labor migration processes, controlling professional opportunities in foreign countries.
Background of the Study
This thesis study focuses on the push factors and pull factors that are involved in foreign players who migrate to China to play professional basketball.
The globalization of basketball, how basketball has developed into an international powerhouse sport, can be considered pull factors that draw players to a sports league, along with the opportunity to play overseas and make a decent salary. Basketball has increased its influence over the years, especially with the impact and expansion of the NBA (http://www.nba.com). The NBA has paved the way for intentional influence and created an outreach that has transformed all levels of basketball programs and competitions, shaping how people interact with the game, broadcasting around the world, and implementing school and summer programs. The effect of the NBA has reached China, creating a new network of opportunities for foreign basketball players and developing the CBA at a soaring rate (Huang, 2013).
The impact that basketball has had on China and the organization of its competition leagues, specifically the CBA is also feature of the research. The CBA was formed in order to use basketball’s influence to create its own league their own country, to develop their own national players to be more competitive on an international stage. The CBA, being only 22 years old
(http://www.china.org.cn), is still a toddler at best, in popularity, economic market, organizational structure, and intensity of competition. The CBA is among the top 12 global basketball leagues, but yet, still has room for growth in developing homegrown players and providing an elite level of international competition. This study drives in deeper into the league’s structure and competition environment provided for foreign athletes, applicable external factors that possibly pull foreign players to join the CBA.
Foreign basketball players, especially American players, are the focus and the push-pull factors that influence their decisions to play overseas in China.
There are many factors that motivate players to pick up and make the big move, for the sake of the game, for another chance to play basketball, push them to play in another country. Many players are impacted by external factors such as hiring opportunities and firing setbacks. In contrast, there are factors from the internal factors that players encounter such as the love for the game and personal goals.
We will explore and uncover what motivates players to migrate to China to play in the CBA.
The possible implications of this study can assist recruiters, coaches, and teams in their recruitment processes in recruiting foreign players. In addition, can also help them better understand their foreign players, accommodating and helping them in their transitions to China and the CBA. Teams can create a more productive and comfortable living and team environment, keeping foreign players in China longer, for a long term basis, impacting the longevity and commitment of these players, supporting them and their time living overseas as an expat player.
These findings can also be applied to other sports and business fields. The teaching profession, as the most saturated fields in China with the most foreign population, can benefit from these results of this research, shedding light on how to recruit and accommodate foreign teachers.
Problem Statement
Past research has provided information and context about globalization and sport migration. However, there is little research that describes athlete migration to Asian sports leagues. Most research focuses on soccer migration patterns and the players playing in European leagues. There is a gap in current research and a
lack of understanding on players moving to Asia, specifically China. This study focused on what push-pull factors contributed to professional basketball players’
choices to move to China, whether they were cultural and exploratory reasons, professional opportunities, or personal factors.
This research emphasizes basketball as the sport focal point, because as an American-born sport, it is possible that this context may provide different insights about the sports migration theory that other past research, based on soccer and baseball, may not provide. This research plans to provide more awareness about the draw to China, what type of athlete chooses to move to China and the influencing factors that draw expatriates, to live and work in China; what makes China so attractive to leave one’s home country. Specifically for American players, there may be different factors that pull and push athlete to move to China compared to other foreign players from other countries. In addition, athletes often feel they are only performers and not people, thus this study plans on providing these athletes a stage to voice their opinions and be heard, confront adversities and speak their truths.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to uncover and explore the push-pull factors that impact sport labor migration and for American athletes to pursue a professional sports career abroad, specifically American players who migrated to China’s CBA league. Although many studies have considered why foreign players have migrated to the NBA, but none have investigated why players have migrated from the U.S. to China. Some have considered it within the framework of globalization and sports labor migration, but none have applied such framework to Asian basketball leagues and sports migration patterns into Asia.
One of the goals of this research is to identify the push-pull factors that players consider and motivate their decision-making process for migration. The push-pull factors are ignited by motivators, and this study will identify and investigate these motivators, what drives these American basketball players to migrate to China. Motivation is the preceding influence to a push-pull factors and it is key to understanding the push-pull factors, which in turn lead to a decision or choice. Players’ responses will be categorized into two groups, what pressures
them to leave their home country (push factors) and what attracts them to China and the CBA (pull factors). Other aspects will be included, such as the personal accounts from athletes, their individual stories, to put a face to sports and labor migration studies, powering to the athletes’ voices. Although this sample would be considered in the “sport stars” category by Carter (2011), they each still have a story to tell, one which can give light to many of the thoughts, ideas, and fears within sport migration studies. By interviewing each athlete and getting detailed personal accounts, the researcher can remove the “filter” that Carter (2011) refers to when criticizing Maguire, and let readers hear the direct voice of each athlete included in this research sample, since their experiences are unique to China. In this research, the athletes will have the microphone to speak their truths and voice their opinions and factual experiences to help them create better experiences for future athletes and their comrades in competitions, to other current foreign players.
Through personal interviews, players have the opportunity to voice their honest opinions, in an industry that often sees them only as a commodity to aid in winning a championship, and not so much a person who is navigating a foreign country and alien social landscapes (Magee, 2013; Carter, 2011). This research replaces the personal aspect back into basketball, back into the research. This research aspires to help recruiters in improving their recruitment techniques and approaches for attracting foreign players to China, learning more about what appeals to foreign players and help them transition and adjust to the CBA and the local culture. This research can also unveil ways for teams to better accommodate their foreign players, understanding what players like and don’t like about playing abroad. Coaches, Chinese players, and league front-office management alike can use this research to understand what foreign players encounter while playing basketball in China. By “walking in one’s shoes,” every part of a team organization can improve their methods and treatment of foreign players, helping the player to adjust and play at a better level, which in turns helps the organization achieve their goals.
Research Questions
Based on Everett Lee’s (1966) “Theory of Migration,” the research questions are based on three spheres of influence. Thus, the interview questions and results are organized by personal factors, professional career factors and country, or cultural, factors. In order to explore the push-pull factors that influence foreign basketball players migrate to China, specifically U.S. players, we must ask the following questions:
• What are the personal push-pull factors that influence players’ decision to migrate to China?
• What are the professional career push-pull factors that influence players’ decision to migrate to China?
• What are the country push-pull factors that influence players’ decision to migrate to China?
Significance of the Study
The following research will have great impact on understanding why foreign talent move overseas, not just in the sports field but can also be useful in the general business field. This research will help practitioners, such as talent recruiters and athletic organizations, comprehend foreign basketball players who play abroad and how to better accommodate and assist them in their transition to China.
In the academic field, this research can fill in the gap by shedding light on the globalization of sports in China and the migration push-pull factors that are specific to China. This study will most benefit the players themselves, because collectively, they will be able to help one another and future players that are interested in moving abroad for their professions, especially to China, providing insight to their experiences and what push-pull factors had influenced their decisions to move to China and play in the CBA.
Definition of Key Term
"Migration is often analyzed in terms of the push-pull model,” which include push and pull factors. They are defined below.
• Push factors – the factors that drive, or “push,” people to leave their
country in pursuit for a better life and opportunities in another country.
This can include economic, social, or political problems that impact a person’s life (Opeskin, Perruchoud, & Redpath-Cross, 2012).
• Pull Factors- the factors that attracts people to a receiving or destination country, the country to which people move. Such factors include job opportunity, safety or refuge from war or natural disaster (Opeskin, et al., 2012).