Thanks in part to the success of Houston Rockets’ 7-foot-5-inch
Chinese center Yao Ming, the official Web site for the National Basketball
Association (NBA) announced Wednesday that it has launched a Chinese language site.
NBA.com launched the destination, which features most of the
characteristics of the league’s other sites, including audio, statistics and
text content. Chinese Internet portal SOHU
has agreed to translate, host, publish and promote the site in China for an
undisclosed sum.
NBA.com/china will provide fans with extensive NBA coverage, including the
NBA All-Star Game, NBA Draft and special events, including offseason trades
and breaking news. Other features include live statistics for all games, top
statistical leaders, player profiles, team standings and comprehensive pages
on every NBA team, as well as daily video highlights, complete recaps and
game box scores.
“The core audiences for the Internet and the NBA in China correlate very
well,” said Michael B. Denzel, Vice President and Managing Director, NBA
Asia, Limited. “Besides bringing the NBA and our fans in China closer
together, NBA.com/china also offers exceptional new marketing opportunities
for the NBA’s business partners — in China, across the region, and
globally.”
How big is basketball in China? An estimated 250 million Chinese take part
in basketball competitions, according to government officials. Moreover, the
NBA’s popularity and television viewership have reached all-time highs in
China, according to recent consumer research: 63 of both males and females
aged 15-24, now consider themselves fans of the NBA.
While it’s no secret China’s Yao Ming is making waves in the NBA (as a
rookie trying to adjust to the U.S., he is averaging 12.9 points, along with
8.0 rebounds per contest), he is hardly the only international player to
perform at a high level in the professional basketball league. The NBA
currently employs a record 67 international players from 35 countries and
territories on NBA rosters this season.
The new Chinese destination compliments NBA.com’s other four international
Web sites, including Spanish, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom.
