ESPN is broadening its reach into China after inking a deal with Tencent, billed as “one of China’s and the world’s leading providers of online products and services”. The agreement with Tencent will bring exclusive Mandarin-language ESPN content to Tencent’s platforms, with the focus of the content initially being centered on the NBA and international soccer.
During the 2016 NBA Playoffs, ESPN will have experts on-site at five games each week providing analysis in Mandarin for Tencent’s NBA coverage while also creating a weekly NBA opinion and debate (YES! EVEN CHINA WILL NEED TO EMBRACE DEBATE!) show for Tencent’s users.
The contract also allows Tencent to license the exclusive rights in mainland China to March Madness, over 100 college basketball regular season games, and the X-Games from ESPN.
China is the next big frontier for American content creators. MLB inked a streaming deal with a Chinese company last month. A year ago, the NBA linked up with Tencent, the same company ESPN is working with, and earned itself a nine-figure deal. Now, ESPN is heading into the market digitally, and basketball is their first main focus. I’m curious as to which outlet will be next to take the plunge and enter the market – the NFL seems like the most logical option, but who knows how much of an appetite there really is for American football in China?
[ESPN]
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About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.