Youku.com granted FIFA 2018 online broadcast rights

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Youku.com, the largest video website in China, has become the only website that has been granted online broadcast rights from FIFA and China Central Television (CCTV) to offer a full range of World Cup live broadcasts in China.

The country boasts tens, perhaps hundreds, of millions of soccer fans. The estimated audience for World Cup 2018 may reach 1 billion, much more than the event in 2014, due to the more friendly time difference.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the sports industry in China has reached 1.9 trillion yuan (nearly 300 billion US dollars) in general.

The quadrennial World Cup has huge market potential, even bigger than the Olympics in terms of its capability of transforming influence to product sales.

FIFA World Cup 2018 mascot toys on display /CGTN Photo

As one of the three video streaming platform giants in China, Youku has been controlled by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba since 2015. Holding a great expectation of media broadcasting in all forms, Alibaba has signed a contract with CCTV, the traditional state-owned broadcaster in China.

This move illustrated further filtration of video websites, led by Youku and followed by iQiyi, Tencent Video, and Sohu TV, similar to Netflix and Hulu in the West.

Several years ago, televisions make shows and distribute them to streaming sites. But now streaming sites have been changing viewers’ habits by making their own dramas and online films.

For example, a new trend in China in recent years is sensational shows, including dramas and variety shows. For example, the "Rap of China," a rappers’ talent show produced by iQiyi, caused a craze nationwide and even triggered greater awareness of hip-hop culture in China.

Tencent stepped into the movie industry starting 2016 and has already produced several box-office winners. Youku, on the other hand, has been leading online TV series production.

The cooperation between video streaming websites and traditional media will definitely boost the FIFA fever in this summer.