China's 'Home Field' advantage

The National Football League is rapidly becoming more than a passing fancy in China.

According to NFL China statistics, the league's nationwide fan base has grown by an astounding 462 percent over the past four years and now encompasses 14 million people who describe themselves as followers of American tackle football.

This season, NFL games will be televised across 20 regional channels, reaching more than 96 million Chinese viewers, and five online broadcasters - PPTV, LeTV, iQiyi, Sina Sports and QQ Sports - are also showcasing weekly live action.

For fans who want an in-the-trenches experience, this weekend marks the launch of NFL Home Field every Saturday in Guangzhou and every Sunday in Beijing and Shanghai, culminating with the star-studded University Bowl weekend at Shanghai's Luwan Stadium on Nov 23-24.

Last year's battle for the Chinese championship, with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in attendance, attracted an audience of 1.4 million viewers on Guangdong TV Sports Channel.

The NFL Home Field experience offers family-friendly interactive activities, including on-field training from players and coaches in the growing American Football League of China, demonstrations by NFL cheerleading squads and opportunities to watch full-contact games between AFLC teams.

Saturday's Home Field debut is set for Luwan Stadium in Shanghai, while Sunday's action will take place at Beijing Normal University and Guangzhou Sports University.

In another nod to American football's growing popularity, on Aug 30 NFL China launched its NFL Tour Truck initiative in Shanghai. The tour will hit a dozen other cities across the nation, offering a full range of official team gear, unique interactive audio-visual insights into the game and a chance for fans to try on equipment.

The NFL Tour Truck is scheduled to make stops in Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Tianjin, Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou and Fuzhou throughout the season.

Since being established as the league's fifth international office in the fall of 2007, NFL China has imported several past and present stars to promote the game, including Montana, Barry Sanders, Tony Dorsett and Reggie Bush.

Founded in 1920, the 32-team NFL is America's No 1 professional sports league, with annual live attendance and TV viewership outdrawing the combined numbers of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League.

Over the past decade the Super Bowl championship has become the biggest annual international television event by airing in more than 200 nations and 30 languages.

murraygreig@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/12/2014 page24)