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Mbappé Loses Three China Sponsorships After Mao Video

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 22:32 UTC · How we work

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Summary

Kylian Mbappé lost three Chinese sponsorships after a video appeared to label Mao Zedong a dictator.
Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground ended their contracts with Mbappé, citing zero-tolerance for offending national sentiment.
Mbappé issued apologies in French, Chinese and English, calling his comment ill-judged and respecting Chinese people.
CCTV stopped La Liga broadcasts, prompting league regret over offending Chinese fans.

History

Since the NBA first played in China in 1979 and grew after Yao Ming’s 2002 draft and the 2008 NBA China launch, league relied on the market. On Oct 4 2019 Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protests; the Chinese Basketball Association cut ties, Tencent halted broadcasts and sponsors withdrew, costing up to $400 million. It guides brands like Adidas to drop Mbappé after his Mao comment.

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Historical Context

Since the NBA first played in China in 1979 and grew after Yao Ming’s 2002 draft and the 2008 NBA China launch, league relied on the market. On Oct 4 2019 Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong protests; the Chinese Basketball Association cut ties, Tencent halted broadcasts and sponsors withdrew, costing up to $400 million. It guides brands like Adidas to drop Mbappé after his Mao comment.

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