The FINA World Aquatics Gala “Soirée des Etoiles” reached a high level of popularity in Chinese social media, with the hashtag #FINAAquaticsGala reaching over 42 million views in Weibo, one of the most popular web platforms in China.
Moreover, this hashtag was the most discussed sports topics on that social media platform during the Gala time, which was held in Sanya, Hainan Province, on December 2, 2017.
A total of 48 posts were published on Weibo in this occasion, with a total viewership of 9.4 million. The list of the 10 most popular posts naturally relates with Chinese athletes attending the ceremony, namely swimming superstar Sun Yang, or the best female diver of the year Shi Tingmao.
Moreover, this was the first time a FINA World Aquatics Gala was TV live streamed, with the signal being transmitted on the FINATv, and Chinese digital platforms Youku and Hainan Travel Channel.