The Patriots last year placed an emphasis on daily content on China's WeChat and Weibo platformsWEIBO
The Patriots had a "monumental" year in China, becoming the first NFL team to "hit 500,000 followers" on social media app Weibo, according to Aimee Lewis of CNN.com. According to data from Chinese social media agency Mailman, the Patriots' social growth in the country is "quicker than European soccer giants Manchester United and Barcelona as well as the majority of NBA clubs." Naturally, one of the "most successful teams in NFL history will have a global appeal," but there is "more to the Patriots' Far East breakthrough." The franchise has "conquered China's digital sphere and it has done so by being present and by being original." When the Patriots first established a presence on the country's most popular social media platforms, WeChat and Weibo, the focus was "put on creating daily content that would specifically be attractive to Chinese fans, graphics in Standard Mandarin, for example, and short video explainers on American Football." Tom Brady is an "adept TV host too, starring in the eponymous 'Tom Brady China Show.'" With 15.8 million total video views, the "monthly series is the most viewed NFL club content series of all time in China" (CNN.com, 4/2).
