Some fans who tune in to the future NBA Paris Games may see the contests just as a thanksgiving for Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 celebrity who’s leading the San Antonio Spurs again to aggressive relevance. There is a strong link between Wembanyama, the Heels and France. But the regular season games in Paris on Jan. 23 and 25 are also excellent opportunities for non-Wembanyama members of the Spurs to show their talents, as well as for the Indiana Pacers to expand their product in a world display. This is the first day that the NBA will have more than one regular-season activity in Paris, and the piece of Spur vs. Pacers activities are being billed almost like an All-Star function in Europe, with supporters expected to travel from over 53 countries and 24 U. S. state to see the ceremonies. There are signals and community events throughout the municipal region. Probably no crew in NBA history has embraced global sports better than the Spurs, with much of that relationship woven through France thanks to Hall of Fame safeguard Tony Parker and title-winning role player Boris Diaw. San Antonio even used a first-round review get on French middle Ian Mahinmi in 2005, and he went on to have a 12-year NBA career. Wembanyama arrived at the best time for the Spurs—and the NBA—as strengthened social media contacts between countries and cultures have enabled enthusiasts across the globe to pursue his day-to-day growth. “We’ve played in Mexico five times, ” Spurs ’ chief commercial officer Frank Miceli said in a video interview. “Yes, we played in Berlin. We played in Istanbul. [ The NBA ] has used us as a global team, but to go back to France? Even when Tony was here, we didn’t have that opportunity. So the social media standpoint is a big driver of that. ” The NBA has 11. 2 million social media followers across all platforms from France, the most of any European nation. On its social channels, French players have generated over 850 million views, the most of any country outside of North America. Despite not being very active on social media, Wembanyama has 4. 4 million Instagram followers and is the third-most viewed NBA player ( 735 million views ) behind LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Followers of the Spurs ’ Instagram page in France have grown by 123 %. On the flip side are the Pacers, who don’t have the same high-wattage international spotlight and expect to come into hostile territory in Paris. In countering the homecourt feel for San Antonio, Pacers EVP of strategy and new business ventures Joey Graziano believes that activations for Pacers gear and tickets to the games and in-arena brand ambassadors will convert attendees into Pacers fans “in real time. ” “ I want our players to look up and see how many fans in that arena are wearing gold, ” Graziano said in a video interview. ”We’re all going to shock the world with how many Pacers fans that we can have as a part of these games. ” The biggest association NBA fans could make between France and Indiana is the famed moniker for the state’s favorite son Larry Bird, “the Hick from French Lick. ” Graziano, however, highlighted that the ties between the two are deeper than meets the eye. “ France is Indiana’s largest European export destination and fifth largest globally, ” Graziano said, referring to the more than$ 2 billion worth of goods made in the state that are sent to France. “We’re home to 48 French-based companies, so there’s a deep connection, and there’s a recognition that we need to have a presence in those markets. ” Both teams as well as the league have said there’s never been a better time to be an NBA fan in France. In October, the league signed a one-year extension of its current broadcasting rights deal with beIN Sports. Viewership for the network has grown by 67 % over the last five years. More weekend games are scheduled to air in primetime, with viewership of those games doubling in the same five-year period. Subscriptions to NBA League Pass have grown by 36 % since last season, and next season the league will begin streaming live games and shoulder programming on Prime Video. Miceli said international viewership of Spurs games on League Pass has grown by 77 %. Just as Graziano looks at how the metrics can help support the Pacers ’ business interests in Paris, Miceli feels equally as confident for what the data can portend for the Spurs, not only in Paris but back home in Texas. “The other part ( of the trip ) is taking some of our current partners from San Antonio and Austin and other places, taking them there to develop and deepen the relationship from a hospitality standpoint, ” Miceli said. “We have lots of goals in mind about growing all our digital and social fan bases while we’re there. We think we can do all those things. ” San Antonio ($ 3. 79 billion, +15 % YoY ) and Indiana ($ 3. 74 billion, +14 % ) are 20th and 21st, respectively, in Sportico’s NBA franchise valuations.