The sites will include online webcasts that allow viewers to watch live games and Chinese-language talk shows daily; gaming and fantasy basketball options and networking capabilities. The features will collectively launch at the start of the new NBA season at the end of the month at the domains nba.com/china, nba.com/hongkong, and nba.com/taiwan.
Through its partnership with Tom, the NBA will also link its basketball sites with Tom-Skype to further circulate content among users. According to an NBA statement, Tom Group has 100 million online users, 200 million wireless users and 70 million Tom-Skype users, which can be accessed by advertisers.
The launch reflects the growing popularity of the sport in Greater China, reaffirmed by viewers during the recent Beijing Olympics. According to local reports, the NBA projects that 300 million people play basketball in China and nearly 90 per cent of the country’s young- and middle-aged population have heard of the NBA.
“The NBA’s websites will become the heart of Tom’s sports channel where we will further enhance our service offerings and create synergies within Tom Group’s unique and diversified media assets,” said Tom Group CEO and executive director Ken Yeung in a statement. “Our partnership with NBA China is a continuation of Tom’s sports strategy. Tom’s sports channel, one of the most visited sports channels in China, will be relaunched with more premium sports properties and user interactivity.”
