iQIYI Obtains Broadcasting Rights for All Four Golf Majors, Becoming China's Leading Source of Live Professional Golf Coverage

BEIJING, June 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, today announced it had been awarded broadcasting rights for all four golf majors ? professional golf's most important annual tournaments, making iQIYI the largest source for professional golf live streaming and video information in China.

iQIYI was awarded online broadcasting rights for the prestigious US Open golf tournament, having previously acquired the rights to stream golf's other three "Major Tournaments"-- Masters, The Open and PGA Championship. Combined with iQIYI's comprehensive coverage agreements with multiple golfing bodies such as PGA Tour, WGC-HSBC World Golf Championship and PGA Tour China, the addition of US Open cements iQIYI's position as the pre-eminent broadcast platform for Chinese golf fans.

The US Open will air on iQIYI Sports from June 14 to-18 and will be available on PC/Mac, mobile, tablet and Smart TV versions of the iQIYI app. The coverage will feature exclusive Chinese language commentary and analysis from a selection of pro-golfers, coaches, referees and journalists. iQIYI has also arranged an on-site ENG group to conduct interviews with players at the tournament, providing Chinese golf fans with an unparalleled quality of live sports coverage which is in-depth, entertaining and easily accessible.

In the digital age, increasing numbers of sports fans are turning away from traditional TV and radio networks and looking to internet platforms, which can provide them with coverage of their favorite sports. Since its launch in August 2012, iQIYI Sports has continued to expand the options available to Chinese sports fans, having signed multiple broadcasting agreements with sporting authorities including those from the worlds of golf, tennis, American football, wrestling, extreme sports and more. At the end of 2017, selected sports tournaments, along with other premium shows and movies, has become a part of iQIYI's paid content offering, which ensures viewers receive content of the highest quality and maximizes iQIYI's ability to monetize newly acquired content.

"We are delighted to welcome the US Open to iQIYI Sports' rapidly growing universe of international sports coverage," said Geng Danhao, senior vice president of iQIYI.

"International sports organizations are coming to realize the importance of the Chinese market, and with such a high percentage of sport watched online, iQIYI is the ideal platform to connect with a mass Chinese audience. Viewers choose iQIYI because of the breadth of our selection and richness of our user experience. We look forward to providing Chinese sports fans with an increasingly diverse selection of live and on demand sport from all corners of the world."

SOURCE iQIYI Inc.