EXTENDED: Win Tickets to the Kerry Hotel Beijing's Super Bowl Party!

Just registerred this account for the ticket and question:

I noticed almost all prior comments are made by foreigner who now are staying in Beijing, so, as a 100% local Beijinger (born here) and had sevearl years of overseas experience in the states, I am here to offer some local perspective coupled with the understanding of the U.S's most popular sport.

For the American football to gain success here as NBA/Soccer:

I think the key factors to this question are still marketing as well as effective filteration/promotion of this sport in China.

NFL need to do more marketing about the sport itself in China, and find a way to promote this sports in China. If high schools and universities have football league, and more local people join this sport, supports and fans of football will greatly increase. Now I thin the fundemental for this is ready for big cities in China. Besides, your marketing strategy is in line with the promotion of the football: NFL star cards released here (simliar to NBA start cards), friendly matches with local teams, NFL teams come to China and play footballs here, set up local championship etc. Also, use the e media to do marketing, and also target Chinese with overseas background. Now we have more and more 'Haigui' so they could be driving forces of letting more local people know the charm of this sports. Expats from the U.S in China will certainly support this sport as well.

Finally, look forward to watching the superbowl over the CNY holiday!

1. Expand T.V. coverage here in Beijing. It would be REALLY cool if we could get the Red Zone here. That way folks could see the most thrilling aspects of the game.

2. Develop NFL-sponsored flag/touch footbal teams on the high school and college levels in the major Chinese cities.

3. Do a few commercials with popular main land China athletes. (E.g., Li Na at a Superbowl part in Beijing with NFL Cheerleaders. (Hey; Chicks Rule, man)).

3b. Do a few commercials with heavy-weight Chinese movie stars.

3c. Show more Peyton manning comercials. They're hillarious.

I keep reading "Just draft a few chinese players"....are you high or just had a habit of eating paint chips at a young age???

First the NFL doesn't draft players...Team GM's do or in the case of the Cowboys a dillusional old man..

Second, if my team (NINERS) used a draft pick or GOD forbid a few draft picks to select a few dongbei manchilds there would be a riot and more than likely a few newly unemployed guys at the local unemployment office.

But to answer your question....Give away free equipment, some rules, and have them get after it.

Basketball and Soccer work in other countries because those countries are typically dirt poor and all you really need to play Soccer is a can or rock to kick around. Moving up the socio-economic ladder is the game of basketball where one may require an actual ball and a air pump......

Last...i dont care for these tickets as the Kerry Party sucks and is a terrible corporate atmosphere that doesnt allow true absurd drunken revelry at 6am....

The NFL’s popularity in countries outside the US is a problem facing the sport across the world. It is a purely American sport that has struggled to find fans outside of the US. Below are several steps the NFL has to take in order to gain popularity in China.

First off, education is the primary opponent they must tackle. The lack of interest in football from international to even casual American fans stems from the lack of understanding about the game. Watching a game with an uninitiated fan and explaining the intricacies of offensive and defensive schemes while wading through the numerous flags and stoppages is an exercise in frustration and futility. Combine this with a three and a half hour game that is peppered with commercials pertaining to American trucks, watered down beer and male enhancement pills and I can undoubtedly identify with the sports’ lack of interest. Therefore, a solid understanding of rules, formation, and outcomes is necessary for interest to form. There have already been steps to remedy this situation as seen through live streams on PPTV. During commercial breaks in the games, rules, formations and schemes are presented in an easy to understand manner from top minds in the NFL. A greater effort to spread education about the game itself will certainly yield better understanding and an enhanced interest in the game.

Along with knowledge about the game, an understanding about the players is also needed. There’s no question the import of Yao Ming lead to an explosion of interest in an already ardent Chinese basketball fan base. The most obvious way for this to translate into the NFL is through a Chinese player to break into the NFL. The best way for this to happen is through government funded and grassroots organizations targeting youth sport development. Most are well aware of the inherent flaws present in the Chinese Olympic Development Organizations, so hopefully we can steer clear of this and focus more on summer and after school football programs. Here is a great article about people who are moving in the right direction and working tirelessly to spread football in China. http://grantland.com/features/examining-effort-establish-football-china/ This lack of organization at youth levels is a major reason why China has failed to develop not only NFL talent, but more world class NBA and soccer players. There are no nationwide youth development programs that are on the same level as American youth development leagues and Europe’s youth soccer leagues. These organizations give a fun, competitive and social method of playing sport and learning valuable skills. China’s current structure in regards to youth development isn’t on par with these countries and the lack of world class international athletes (in football/basketball/soccer) reflects that.

Finally, the major attraction of football in my eyes is the aspect of community. Never outside of China have I watched a football game by myself. Having done so in China numerous times on a Monday morning just hasn’t had the same feel, and I’m sure it isn’t because of the time difference. It is because the lack of energy and atmosphere that makes the games so enjoyable in America. Drinking, shouting and camaraderie are the things that really make the sport great. Therefore, for China to find a greater audience, it is important for there to be some kind of community and football atmosphere. The Kerry Center’s football party is a great example of the impact community can have. I anticipate a great crowd of friends and strangers bonding together to shout at overgrown men running with a ball which is commonplace in most living rooms and bars across American every Sunday during the season. More opportunities for events like this will help form a strong and passionate fan base that goes outside the realm of sport and into the hearts of spectators.

Implementing these ideas is an arduous process, yet if implanted properly, can have a huge impact on the viewership, participation and interest of NFL across China.

First, the NFL could push for American football to become an Olympic sport, but unfortunately I don't think there is any likelihood of this happening.

They should scout one or more Chinese dudes to play in the NFL. If a Chinese athlete made it in the NFL there would be a lot of interest over here.

CCTV-5 would then have to show plenty of live games and highlight reels to drum up interest.

The NFL would next have to capitalize on this nascent interest by investing a heap load of money on equipment and facilities for schools and universities throughout China and make a concerted effort to develop the sport at grassroots level.

Unless people actually play the sport recreationally the chances of it becoming a major spectator sport are slim.

I'm not American myself, so I can understand first-hand some of the issues the NFL faces when trying to appeal to foreign fans. Somebody mention a key point, it's not played at schools here, so they don't relate to it so easily. If I had to suggest a strategy, the first step is getting people to understand the basics of the game, and make it more accessible to young people, as a means to generate interest. Having events, like NFL experience, or even better, a game (even if it's pre-season) would go a long way.

All of that, would get a bigger boost if a Chinese, or Chinese-American player made it into an NFL roster.