Digital competitors look to wider playing field

The opening up of the sports broadcasting market is expected to help digital media platforms lure more audiences with diversified game-viewing experiences.

The traditional dominance of TV in sports broadcasting in China has been fiercely challenged by online broadcasters, who are willing to pay huge amounts of copyright fees and come up with better offerings through technology.

A recent central government call, made at the State Council's executive meeting earlier this month, to open the broadcasting of sporting events to more media companies will tilt the scales in favor of the digital broadcasters, said insiders.