Sideline Story

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game made headlines, but not for the reasons the league hoped. Despite bold changes to the game format, viewership hit the second-lowest in history, sparking heated debates about the event's relevance and excitement. Is the All-Star Weekend losing its luster? Should the NBA keep it alive? And most importantly—how can the league reignite fan passion for one of its marquee events? Tune in to Sideline Story as we dive deep into these pressing questions. From analyzing what went wrong to exploring bold ideas for the future, we’re breaking it all down.

Sideline Story takes you behind the scenes of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, offering an exclusive glimpse into the heart of the action. Join us as we sit down with a featured athlete to experience the atmosphere of the Games firsthand. In this episode, we explore the rise of winter sports in non-traditional ice and snow regions, such as Thailand, and uncover how the Games are fueling the growing momentum for winter sports across Asia. Plus, we relive the most unforgettable moments and celebrate the standout stars who lit up the competition.

As competition heats up at the Asian Winter Games, Sideline Story finds out about the delights Harbin has to offer in and out of competition. What do the city-wide celebrations tell people about an old industrial city that’s taken on a new look? And how are Chinese people expressing their love of winter sports? We’d also like to invite you to come back next week when Sideline Story will be coming to you from the Asian Winter Games in Harbin.

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year, Sideline Story lists the sports stars that were born in the Years of the Snake and those who have snake-like traits in their playing style. Also in this episode, we discuss the special sports activities in China during the holiday season and look ahead to the sporting events to watch in the Year of the Snake.

Novak Djokovic quit the Australian Open semifinals due to injury, dashing his hopes for winning another Grand Slam trophy and breaking the record for the most major titles for a single player, male or female. Can he achieve this milestone before the end of his career? What does his Australian Open campaign say about his form? Also in this episode, we review the biggest upsets at Melbourne Park this year and discuss why the new rule allowing coaches to stay on court with players should be welcomed by other events.

Chinese player Zheng Qinwen crashed out of the Australian Open early in the second round after a straight sets loss to German veteran Laura Siegemund. What did she do wrong in the shock defeat? What does it take to be a real Grand Slam contender? Also in this episode, we take a look at Novak Djokovic and his new coach Andy Murray, and how the new partnership is doing at Melbourne Park.

In this episode, we mark the countdown to the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin. What highlights can we expect from the Games? Why is the northeastern city a special host for the event? Also, we take a look at the winter sports trend in China after the successful Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

LeBron James is the only active player in the NBA to reach 40 years old. The veteran is averaging over 23 points per game and delivers consistent output this season. Is he the best 40-year-old player in league history? Who else did great in their 40s? Also in this episode, we take a look at other veteran players in the NBA and discuss how they are doing so far this season.

As we count down to 2025, Sideline Story reviews 2024 in international sports. We give our picks of the best sports stories of the year as well as the male and female athletes. We also take a look at back the most classic games of the past 12 months.

2024 was a banner year for Chinese athletes as they shone in traditionally strong sports for China and made breakthroughs in some other events, especially at the Paris Olympics. Sideline Story lists the biggest sporting achievements for China in the past year as well as the best male and female Chinese athletes of the year. Also in this episode, we reveal our expectations for Chinese sports in 2025.