It's a good thing you can pirate the NBA or use a VPN. Less committed fans will simply accept that China just censor the NBA for telling "lies." You can't pirate your way into hosting a international tournament.

Would Blizzard and the IOC be closer to the WTA here, in that their are also hosting tournaments and events?

That's closer, but I don't think that's quite the same. Esports seems to serve more so as marketing for videogames. The CCP is trying to discourage its population from playing videogames, so they doubt that they care if they lose out on American ones. Also, esports don't have nearly the prestige of physical sports at the moment, though that could change in the future.

> China already struggles mightily in both men's and women's tennis. They don't have any player in men's or women's that cracks the top 100.

bizarre thing to say given the story is literally about a former WTA #1 Chinese female doubles tennis player.

Go ahead and fact check me. I am referring to single's (far more popular).