The Golden State Warriors recently surpassed one million followers on Weibo. Weibo is a Chinese social media platform akin to a hybrid of Facebook and Twitter, and is one of China’s most popular websites. Last October, the Warriors became the first NBA team to launch an official Weibo account in preparation for the NBA Global Games in Beijing and Shanghai.
The San Francisco, Bay Area is home to the highest concentration of Chinese-Americans in the United States. The Warriors have embraced the Chinese culture of the area by celebrating Chinese New Year and hosting Asian Heritage Nights the past four seasons. These events, along with the team’s Weibo account, allow for the Warriors to reach the Chinese population not only in the Bay Area, but also overseas in China, itself.
Since last October, the Warriors have actively engaged with fans on Weibo, namely a Q&A session with All-Star guard Stephen Curry that received more than 2.6 million impressions and 3,500 questions in just 24 hours. To celebrate exceeding one million followers, the Warriors are hosting a contest in which they will give away ten autographed player photos.
The Warriors are taking initiative to reach a new fan base that will benefit them greatly now and into the future. Not only will the Warriors be gaining a larger fan base from the Chinese population, the NBA as a whole will benefit from this breakthrough into the Chinese market, as it looks to expand the game globally.