CHINAANDFOOTBALLWORLDSPORT’SNEWESTSUPERPOWER2016NIELSENSPORTSREPORTCHINAANDFOOTBALLCopyright?2016TheNielsenCompany23ThegrowthofChinaintermsofitsinfluenceontheglobalsportsbusinessisnosecret.BeitinvestorsfromChinaacquiringandinvestinginsportspropertiesacrossEurope,internationalleaguesandteamslookingtotapintothecountry’senormouspopulationtoengageanewwaveoffans,thebuyingorsellingofkeybroadcastrightsorChina’sstrategicacquisitionofmajorinternationalsportsevents,theworldofsporthaswellandtrulywokenuptothepossibilitiesthemarketoffers.TheworldislookingtoChinaandChina,increasingly,islookingtotheworld.Ledbystrategiesdevelopedatanationalgovernmentlevel,Chinesecompaniesandindividualsaremakingtheirmarkonglobalsportlikeneverbefore.Football,astheworld’smostpopularandvisiblesport,hasprovedmagneticinitsattraction:thel