Chinese beer Tsingtao has become an official partner to the Chinese Basketball Association in a deal brokered by Infront Sports & Media. The agreement will see Tsingtao involved at all 272 of the league's regular season games, which kicked off on Saturday, as well as the 37 playoff games, the final on March 22 and the CBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 23-24 at the Guangzhou Int'l Sports Arena. So far, the league on average attracts a TV audience of more than 100 million, but this season, TV exposure is set to increase further. CCTV-5 will broadcast seven games each week, with four live and three delayed, resulting in an unprecedented amount of exposure on China's top sports channel. Negotiations are still underway with several regional networks as well for additional live coverage throughout the year. Tsingtao will also set up a 3-on-3 basketball series across China for amateur players and basketball fans. The brand will be integrated into all promotional materials, as well as on the official CBA website. Additionally, the Tsingtao Brewery will serve as the title sponsor for the cheerleading squad (Infront).
