Background and Current Status
Mexico, being the country outside of the United States and Canada with the most NBA games hosted, remains a market where the league has yet to establish strong connections with fans, according to an expert analysis.
The NBA has consistently engaged with Mexico, hosting 34 games between 1992 and 2025: 19 preseason and 15 regular-season games. The upcoming match between the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons on November 1, 2025, at the Arena Ciudad de México, exemplifies this ongoing commitment.
No other country outside the US and Canada has hosted more NBA games than Mexico. Moreover, since the pandemic era began, Mexico has hosted at least one official game every year from 2022 to 2025, with the Arena CDMX serving as the venue.
Fan Base and Comparison with Other Leagues
Raúl Zárraga, the NBA México Director, reported that by 2025, there are 32 million NBA fans in Mexico. In comparison, Major League Baseball (MLB) has 54 million fans, while the National Football League (NFL) boasts 39.9 million, according to various sources this year.
“The NFL’s strength in Mexico lies in its well-managed local office, though it lacks deeper engagement,” says Javier Balseca, a marketing and sports sponsorship specialist with experience in organizations like the Las Vegas Raiders (NFL) and Fox Sports, in an interview with El Economista.
“The NBA offers a great product, but it needs to take more actions. Fans appreciate the league’s presence even if their favorite team isn’t playing in the country. While the NFL has attempted to build relationships with universities, clinics, and players, the NBA seems to have fallen short in this regard,” Balseca adds.
Fan Engagement and Information Availability
According to Zárraga, 9.6 to 11.2 million avid NBA fans exist in Mexico, following a team, staying informed, and watching games. However, there’s a scarcity of information on fans’ favorite teams.
Zárraga mentioned in 2021 that Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers were the top-ranked teams among Mexican fans. The NBA Academy, which operated in Mexico since 2018, closed at the end of 2024 for restructuring in other regions.
Despite this, programs like Basketball Without Borders Americas and Jr NBA ensure the league’s presence in upcoming generations.
Strategies for Enhanced Engagement
Balseca suggests that the NBA should explore alternative marketing strategies, such as the NFL’s Global Market Program (GMP) launched in 2022, which involves commercial and communication strategies for various teams across 19 countries.
“The NBA should bring representation to Mexico without establishing full-fledged franchises but by promoting national presence, similar to how the NFL does it. This could include events like watch parties, which fans would enjoy without needing player appearances,” he explains.
Challenges from Competing Markets
Another challenge for Mexico in the NBA landscape is the lucrative offers from other countries, especially those in the Middle East.
Emirates Arab Union has hosted eight preseason games between 2022 and 2025, along with an NBA Academy showcase this year. This positions the country as a strong candidate for regular-season games in the future.
“The migration of sports, especially to Arab countries, could threaten Mexico’s position since games here barely break even compared to the substantial investments made by Arab nations,” Balseca notes.
“Games will yield much higher profits, exposure, and growth, especially concerning television rights and merchandising, which they’ve already established in Mexico but haven’t capitalized on,” he concludes.
Recent Attendance and Future Prospects
During its most recent visit to Mexico, the NBA drew 20,328 attendees to the Arena CDMX for a Miami Heat victory over the Washington Wizards.
For the Mavericks vs. Pistons game in 2025, a robust attendance is anticipated. NBA Experiences lists Mexico on its 2026 schedule for a regular-season game, though no formal announcement has been made.
