Tom Brady #12 and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots (Photo : Getty Images)
For the first time, the much anticipated Super Bowl became available for live streaming on the social media platform Sina Weibo as the National Football League eyes to score more viewers in China, Reuters reported.
The online push is considered by many as practical as the games often kick off during morning rush hour.
In the recent Super Bowl, fans in China were able to watch the match between New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons on tablets and on mobile devices.
"I watched the first half when stuck in a traffic jam. For the second half, I had to be careful not to be caught by my boss at work," a viewer shared on the livestream forum on Weibo.
According to a viewer count on the popular platform, over three million people watched the game via the livestream. Other portals where Super Bowl was aired include LeSports and Tencent.
With China's 1.4 billion populace, many U.S.-based sports leagues are tapping the country's potential for their increased growth. For instance, the World Wrestling Entertainment has been training Chinese athletes with the objective of producing global sports sensations.
Nonetheless, many consider football as a relatively new sport in China. But the NFL is adamant in introducing the game to hype up China's interest. NFL China managing director Richard Young told Reuters that is securing more partnership deals with regular television and online platforms to reach more viewers.
Young also revealed that weekly, around 1.5 million people in China are tuned in to NFL games via digital portals. He further boasted that the league's fanbase in the country has surged 1,000 percent for the past five years.
For former NBA television executive Ed Desser, the social media drive may help popularizing football in China. Desser, currently the president of Desser Sports Media, is credited the man who played critical role in making American basketball famous in the country.
