FIBA deepens China strategy with exclusive 3x3 media rights deal
FIBA has secured its first exclusive Chinese broadcast partnership for 3x3 basketball, handing Shinai Sports digital rights through the 2028 FIBA 3x3 season. The deal strengthens FIBA’s commercial footprint in one of its most important growth markets while aligning the property with a platform built for digital-first sports consumption.
FIBA has taken a significant commercial step in China by awarding Shinai Sports exclusive media rights for its 3x3 basketball properties through the 2028 FIBA 3x3 season.
The agreement covers the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and regional competitions, with distribution set to run across Shinai Sports’ digital ecosystem, including the iQIYI sports channel, app, website and Qiyigou TV.
It is the first exclusive broadcast arrangement for FIBA in the Chinese market, underscoring the strategic value of China as a growth engine for the fast-moving format.
The partnership arrives as FIBA continues to expand the 3x3 calendar in Asia. The 2026 World Cup will take place in Warsaw from June 1 to June 7, while the 2026 regional cycle begins with the Asia Cup in Singapore from April 1 to April 5.
China will also host three World Tour stops in 2026, in Chengdu, Shanghai and Deqing, reinforcing the market’s central role in FIBA’s distribution and event strategy. Additional regional attention is expected around stops in Macau and Hong Kong, alongside nearby events in Ulaanbaatar and Utsunomiya.
For FIBA, the deal is about more than reach. It is a monetization and audience-development play that positions 3x3 basketball inside a digital environment tailored to younger, mobile-first consumers. That matters in a sport property where short-form highlights, social sharing and platform-native storytelling increasingly drive value.
Shinai Sports has framed the partnership as a fit with Chinese viewing habits, pointing to the youth appeal and high-intensity format of 3x3 basketball. The company plans to support the property with broad promotion and deeper editorial coverage across its network.
The timing is notable. FIBA says the 2025 World Tour delivered record digital impact, generating more than 1 billion impressions, 202 million video views and 16 million engagements, while total followers climbed 37% year on year to 10 million across platforms.
That growth reflects a broader shift in sports media economics: properties that can package competition into short, shareable formats are better positioned to capture audience attention and sponsor demand. For FIBA, 3x3 is increasingly functioning as both a sport and a digitally optimized content product.
The 2025 3x3 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar also contributed to the format’s momentum, producing 226 million video views and adding to follower growth.
Commercially, the 3x3 World Tour continues to attract brand partners including Enlio, Wilson and Fourteen, the tour’s apparel supplier. With the China rights now locked in, FIBA has added another layer to a property that is becoming more valuable as a media, sponsorship and audience-growth vehicle.
Why It Matters
FIBA has secured its first exclusive Chinese broadcast partnership for 3x3 basketball, handing Shinai Sports digital rights through the 2028 FIBA 3x3 season. The deal strengthens FIBA’s commercial footprint in one of its most important growth markets while aligning the property with a platform built for digital-first sports consumption.
Content Package
FIBA just secured an exclusive 3x3 media rights deal in China through 2028 with Shinai Sports—covering the World Tour, World Cup & regional events. A major digital-first push for 3x3’s next growth leap.
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
FIBA has taken a major commercial step in China by awarding Shinai Sports exclusive media rights for its 3x3 basketball properties through the 2028 FIBA 3x3 season. The agreement covers key competitions including the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and regional events, with distribution running across Shinai Sports’ digital ecosystem—iQIYI sports channel, app, website, and Qiyigou TV. Why this matters: it’s the first exclusive broadcast arrangement for FIBA in the Chinese market, and it signals how strategically valuable China is for the fast-moving format. The deal also lands as FIBA continues to expand the 3x3 calendar across Asia, including the 2026 World Cup in Warsaw (June 1–7) and the Asia Cup in Singapore (April 1–5), plus multiple World Tour stops in China in 2026 (Chengdu, Shanghai, Deqing). From a media economics perspective, this is more than “reach.” It’s an audience-development and monetization strategy built around younger, mobile-first consumption habits. 3x3’s structure lends itself to short, high-intensity viewing, making it ideal for platform-native storytelling, social sharing, and short-form highlights—formats that increasingly drive sponsor value. FIBA’s own performance signals momentum: the 2025 World Tour delivered record digital impact (over 1B impressions, 202M video views, 16M engagements) with follower growth of 37% year-on-year to 10M across platforms. The 2025 3x3 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar also contributed strong results (226M video views). Commercially, 3x3 continues to build its partner ecosystem, attracting brands such as Enlio and Wilson, while the tour’s apparel supplier Fourteen remains in the mix. With China rights now secured, FIBA adds another layer to a property that’s evolving into both a sport and a digitally optimized content product. Bottom line: the Shinai Sports partnership strengthens FIBA’s distribution in one of the world’s most competitive sports media markets—and reinforces 3x3’s trajectory as a high-performing, content-led global format.
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
China just went ALL-IN on 3x3 🏀🔥 FIBA’s exclusive media rights deal with Shinai Sports runs through 2028—World Tour, World Cup + regionals across iQIYI + Qiyigou TV. Short. Fast. Shareable. #FIBA #3x3 #Basketball #ChinaSports #MediaRights #DigitalSports #iQIYI #QiyigouTV #WorldTour #WorldCup #SportsBusiness
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
FIBA has deepened its China strategy with an exclusive media rights agreement for 3x3 basketball through 2028. Shinai Sports will distribute the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, World Cup and regional events across its digital platforms, including iQIYI sports and Qiyigou TV—building on strong 3x3 digital momentum.
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
In 2028, FIBA 3x3 is going even bigger in China. 🇨🇳🏀 FIBA just signed an exclusive media rights deal with Shinai Sports—covering the World Tour, the World Cup, and regional events. The games will be distributed across Shinai’s digital ecosystem, including iQIYI Sports, their app, website, and Qiyigou TV. Why it’s a big deal? 3x3 is fast, high-energy, and perfect for short-form highlights—exactly what younger, mobile-first fans watch and share. FIBA also points to record digital impact from the 2025 season—so this is a clear push to grow audiences and revenue in one of the sport’s most important markets. Next stops: China’s World Tour cities in 2026—Chengdu, Shanghai, and Deqing. Who’s hyped? 👀
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
FIBA just made a major move in China! 🇨🇳🏀 They’ve awarded Shinai Sports exclusive media rights for FIBA 3x3 through 2028—covering the World Tour, World Cup, and regional competitions. The distribution will run across Shinai’s digital platforms, including iQIYI Sports, their app, website, and Qiyigou TV. This is FIBA’s first exclusive broadcast deal in China, and it shows how valuable the market is for 3x3’s growth. The big idea: 3x3 is built for digital. Short, intense games = perfect for mobile-first viewing, social sharing, and platform-native storytelling. FIBA also highlights record 2025 digital results—over 1 billion impressions across the World Tour. In 2026, China will host multiple World Tour stops—Chengdu, Shanghai, and Deqing—plus attention around Macau and Hong Kong. 3x3 fans: are you ready for the next era?
#FIBA#3x3Basketball#SportsMediaRights
