Tencent extends NBA rights deal in China
Details
Rebecca Hawkes
| 30 July 2019

Chinese streaming giant Tencent will remain the home of US basketball after concluding a five-year rights deal with the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The extension to the existing deal sees Tencent retain all streaming, merchandising and licensed promotion of NBA games and coverage in China.

Tencent is, said NBA, its biggest partner outside the US. Last season, 490 million fans in China watched NBA programming on Tencent’s platforms. This is a rise of nearly three times the amount who watched the 2014-2015 season, when the NBA first began streaming on Tencent.

NBA games and content, both live and on-demand will be offered on Tencent's range of digital and social media platforms , including QQ.com, Tencent Sports, Tencent News, Tencent Video, QQ and WeChat.

Tencent said it will also launch advertising campaigns and fan loyalty programmes to build the audience for the NBA in China.

“Tencent’s commitment to NBA basketball in China is unparalleled. The enormous reach and popularity of Tencent’s platforms have been a driving force behind the growth of basketball in China, and we look forward to deepening our connection with NBA fans across the country through this expanded partnership,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Financial details of the renewed partnership have not been revealed.