Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/china/article/3010184/nba-no-1-china-ahead-premier-league-and-champions-league-survey
Sport/ China

NBA No 1 in China ahead of Premier League and Champions League in survey of internet users; CSL not in the top 10

  • Ampere Analysis says the popularity of foreign basketball and football leagues offers big teams the chance to profit from such a huge market
Guangzhou Evergrande fans show their support for their team during a match in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most popular league in China, according to a survey of mainland internet users with the English Premier League coming in second ahead of the Uefa Champions League.

The domestic Chinese Super League and Chinese Basketball Association competition failed to make it into the top 10, according to broadcast and next generation content research firm Ampere Analysis.

“In China the NBA and the EPL already boast two of the country’s largest TV rights contracts, and that’s why both competitions tour China and play league and friendly matches locally,” Ampere senior analyst Alexios Dimitropoulos was quoted as saying in several media reports.

“However, with such strongly preferred sports in each market, international leagues entering these two markets for the first time outside the traditional favourites will need to work hard to develop a following.”

NBA is the most popular league in China, according to a survey. Photo: USA Today Sports
NBA is the most popular league in China, according to a survey. Photo: USA Today Sports

China and India have recently been added to Ampere’s consumer research service, which now covers 42,000 internet users in 20 markets. In all markets, China was the only country in which basketball was the number one sport.

It was also the only market which had table tennis appearing in the top 10, with the world championships coming in at No 8.

Although the online survey has China’s main soccer league outside the top 10, attendance figures show that the competition remains hugely popular.

Top clubs Beijing Guoan and Guangzhou Evergrande can boast average attendance of more than 40,853 – according to transfermarkt – with most of the CSL sides able to attract at least more than 20,000 to their grounds for each home game.

In the first few weeks of the 2019 season, more than 1 million spectators have passed through the turnstiles.

Shanghai SIPG celebrate with their trophy after winning the 2018 Chinese Super League title. Photo: AFP
Shanghai SIPG celebrate with their trophy after winning the 2018 Chinese Super League title. Photo: AFP

The survey, according to reports, also shows that Chinese sports fans are younger than the national average. Sixty-five per cent are 44 years old or younger. It said that 33 per cent of Chinese sports fans are willing to pay to watch the NBA while seven per cent would pay to watch the domestic basketball league. Only eight per cent say they would pay to view a CSL game.

In India, cricket, as expected, was the most popular with the ICC World Cup at No 1 and the T20 World Cup in second. They are followed by the Indian Premier League and Champions Trophy. Then comes three tennis tournaments – Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open.

The Fifa World Cup is at eight and the top 10 is rounded off by the French Open tennis tournament and the Pro Kabaddi League.

Fans of IPL cricket side Chennai Super Kings wait for the team bus. Photo: AFP
Fans of IPL cricket side Chennai Super Kings wait for the team bus. Photo: AFP

The China ranking is: NBA, English Premier League, Uefa Champions League, Fifa World Cup, Summer Olympics, Spanish Primera Liga, Italian Serie A, World Table Tennis Championships, Uefa European Championships and Fiba Basketball World Cup.

“Given their sheer scale, China and India are key markets for the world’s big sporting leagues who are looking to expand their reach and grow their overseas revenues – both in terms of media rights and merchandise sales,” says Dimitropoulos. “Many of the globe’s largest sports leagues have already targeted these countries, but there is certainly more consumer appetite for competitions, and a willingness to pay to watch them.”