The Univ. of Illinois this football season is broadcasting all home games in Mandarin, a move that is "just the start of a larger plan," according to a front-page piece by Shannon Ryan of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Broadcasters Yekai Lu and Liaohan He are the "first to call an NCAA football game in Mandarin." Their calls are available "online through a free audio link on the team's website and a mobile app." UI would like to "grow an international fan base," and it plans to "implement Mandarin broadcasts for volleyball and basketball games, both popular sports in China." UI Associate AD/Marketing & Fan Development Brad Wurthman said, "We want to be the Big Ten team of Asia. So that's a first step for us." UI AD Mike Thomas added, "Our Mandarin broadcasts are one of many ways that we are actively reaching out to our student population." Ryan notes Lu and He "were selected for the broadcasting jobs through the Chinese Student and Scholars Association, which emailed students seeking candidates." But they "aren't a typical play-by-play duo." He will typically ask Lu questions about the rules and Lu, a "true student of the game, explains them." They also "take questions from Chinese fans and answer them on the air." He, who along with Lu became football fans as high school exchange students, said, "(We) don't have to talk a lot on detail about skill set and technique. Just share excitement and the audience can feel it. That's who I am" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/1).
