In order to connect with Chinese fans, the Jazz are creating content for social media platform WeiboNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Jazz President Steve Starks said that the team attaches "great importance to the Chinese market, which has become the franchise's 'biggest international growth market,'" and that they are working with the NBA to "promote the team" in the region, according to XINHUA. Starks: "As we are laying out business plans for the next five years, one of our biggest strategies, our most important strategy, is how do we grow the Jazz brand in China. We are talking to companies that can help represent us in China." In order to connect with Chinese fans, the Jazz are "focusing on Chinese social media platform Weibo." Starks: "We continue to produce content to push on Weibo because we realize that we have so many Chinese fans that want content, they want to follow the Jazz." He added the "other thing we do is that when we have international games that are broadcast to China, we are actually advertising in-arena in Mandarin." Starks noted that Jazz G Donovan Mitchell is "scheduled to visit multiple Chinese cities this summer and the team has told the league its willingness to play games in China" (XINHUA, 5/14).
GAINING A FOOTHOLD: In Hong Kong, Nazvi Careem noted the NBA is the "most popular league in China," according to a survey of mainland internet users by research firm Ampere Analysis, with the EPL coming in second and the UEFA Champions League third. The survey showed 33% of Chinese sports fans are "willing to pay to watch the NBA," while 7% would "pay to watch" the domestic Chinese Basketball Association (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 5/14).
