Over 800 cinemas in China are offering live-streaming of select events of the Paris Olympics, allowing audiences to immerse themselves in the action, especially for popular events like the men's football final, the women's volleyball semifinals, and the men's and women's table tennis team finals.
Since the early morning of July 27 Beijing time, cinema-goers nationwide have been flocking to these special Olympic screenings, which provide a thrilling alternative to watching at home.
"I'm really interested in sports. My TV screen at home is small, but here the screen is much bigger. The atmosphere is amazing," said a university student attending one of the screenings.
This innovative "cinema + Olympics" model is tapping into the public's passion for sports, with many viewers pre-booking tickets for popular events. Over 20 events from the Paris Olympics are set to be shown in cinemas.
"Third-party platforms like Maoyan, Taopiaopiao, and China Film Pass all have a dedicated section for booking Olympic screenings. This is our first time collaborating with such a large-scale live event. Since some events are in the early morning, we've extended our viewing hours and even prepared small red flags for the audience to wave and create a sense of shared excitement during the games," said Wu Ying, manager of a cinema of the China Film International.
The 2024 Paris Olympics, starting on Friday, will run through August 11.
Over 800 Chinese cinemas offer immersive Olympic viewing experience
