Rights to Youku’s sports reality show Dunk of China acquired by Fox Networks

During the MIPCOM Cannes 2018, Youku and Fox Networks Group Asia have just reached an agreement in which Fox Networks Group Asia has acquired the worldwide format rights to Youku’s original reality show, Dunk of China. FNG Asia plans to localize and make regional versions of the show in other parts of the world outside the Chinese mainland. It’s been reported that they first plan to localize it in Taiwan where basketball is extremely popular as well. 

Dunk of China is an original reality TV show produced by Youku with the first season airing in August 2018. The show features promising basketball players who compete in teams and individually with famous basketball players such as Jeremy Lin and entertainment stars such as Jay Chou as their mentors and judges. It captures the passion of basketball. 

It is not the only original reality show produced by Youku. In 2018 they also launched several other shows in the same series, such as This is Fighting Robots and Street Dance of China. The production of original reality TV shows is in line with the strategies of Youku’s parent company, Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment Group. The President of Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment Group, President of Youku and CEO of Alibaba Music, Yang Weidong, described a content position strategy in October 2017. The strategy requires that their reality shows should offer new audio and visionary enjoyment, new narrations of stories and new knowledge and information to audiences. 

Dunk of China is also the first original Chinese reality TV show that has sold format rights overseas. The existence of the show is certainly also a reflection of the bigger importance of sports in Chinese society and industries. 

Reference: Huanqiu.com  

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick