Nielsen ties knots with Sina Weibo to launch sports popularity ranking

Nielsen has announced the launch of “Weibo-Nielsen Sports Popularity Ranking”, in collaboration with Sina Weibo, one of China’s most popular social media platforms.The ranking service provides real time sports-related information to consumers and brand owners which includes valuable information such as sports events, leagues, celebrities and sponsors.Leveraging big data and comprehensive sports-related information from Sina Weibo, combined with Nielsen’s century-long survey methodology, professional analytical skills and data processing ability, this ranking will become the barometer of the sports industry.The rankings will be released and updated on Sina Weibo on a daily basis. The popularity of sports events, celebrities, teams/clubs and sports media Weibo accounts will be measured through reputation, discussions, public images and commercial activities. What’s more, this ranking is interactive, as viewers can give a thumbs ups to their favorite celebrities or clubs.“Due to rising wealth and consumption, Chinese consumers are paying more attention to health and entertainment. This has boosted the rapid development of a domestic sports industry,” said Li Xin, vice-president of Nielsen China.“We hope this ranking that we co-developed with Sina Weibo can serve as a bridge, connecting sports events and celebrities with ordinary sports fans and enthusiasts, promote fitness awareness among common people and provide insights for the sports industry.”Dong Wenjun, deputy general manager of Sina Weibo, said: “The launch of the ranking is just a beginning, more cooperation projects are yet to come. We believe that our cooperation can increase both sides’ impact in the sports industry.”