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A pioneer called Ed Wang

By Sun Xiaochen (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-06 07:43

Ed Wang, Buffalo Bills' rookie left tackle, instructs a young Chinese enthusiast druing a training clinic in Beijing on Feb 22. The program is organized by NFL China and its combine sponsor Under Armour to promote the sport in China. [Photo provided for China Daily]

 

As the first player of full Chinese descent in the National Football League, Ed Wang looking to emulate what Yao Ming did for the NBA and broaden his game's appeal in the nation, Sun Xiaochen reports

The first player of full Chinese descent in the National Football League (NFL), Ed Wang, is ready to expand his pioneering role by helping to promote the game in China.

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The NFL claims it is the most popular sport in the United States, however it has struggled to gain a strong foothold in China and lags well behind the National Basketball Association (NBA) in terms of popularity and exposure here.

The NFL hopes Wang, the son of two former Chinese Olympians, can emulate what Yao Ming did for the NBA and broaden the game's appeal at across the country.

The stakes are high but Wang, who was drafted out of Virginia Tech by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round last year, says his sense of duty to the Chinese people is a source of inspiration, not pressure.

"My Chinese identity is important to me. It (being compared toYao) is definitely a great honor for me. I am trying my best to live up to it," Wang told China Daily during his China tour last month.

"Yao has done a lot for basketball and the NBA in China. To achieve what he did is a big motivation. Hopefully, I can help to expand football here. That's what I am aiming for," he said.

Wang appeared at the Beijing Shijingshan Gymnasium on Feb 22 to host a training clinic where students from 15 universities in Beijing practised basic skills and scrimmaged with him and several other NFL stars including Minnesota Vikings' Pro Bowl wide receiver Sidney Rice and retired NFL safety Jack Brewer.

"Ed is a gifted athlete with tremendous potential. We are so excited to work with him on growing football in China," said Michael Stokes, managing director of NFL China.

At 1.95m and 143kg, Wang can bear the burden of weighty expectations as he has already broken the barrier for Chinese-Americans in one of the world's most physically demanding sports.

The 23-year-old tackle is blessed with size, agility and natural athleticism thanks to the bloodlines of his parents - Robert and Nancy Wang - who represented China in track and field in the 1980s.

Wang preferred playing basketball as a teenager, but decided to concentrate on football when a doctor predicted he would grow no taller than 1.98m, not enough to tower over others on the court.

Spending his college career as a three-year starter at Virginia Tech, Wang won All-Atlantic Coast Conference second team honors in 2009, and then made a quick impression on the Bills after being drafted.

Wang played six of Buffalo's 16 games last season at left tackle - a crucial position responsible for protecting the quarterback.

"I learned a lot from our veteran players about the system and now understand the game better," said Wang, who enjoys video games and Usher songs as he gets mentally in tune during the season.

Despite spending most of his time on the bench last season, the Bills believes Wang has the potential to be a starter in the near future on a team that has not made the playoffs since 1999.

"He's got size. He's got strength. He's really a good athlete with quickness and body control. He's gotten better each year and we hope he continues to improve for us," said Doug Majeski, the Bills' coordinator of college scouting.

Viking Pro Bowl starter Rice sees Wang as a "role model" in the league who will "pave the way and open up a lot of doors for the Chinese".

NFL promotional events began to hit China in 2004. The league opened an office in Beijing in 2007 and has since recruited media partners, including CCTV 5, SMG, GDTV and Sina.com, to broadcast highlights and live games on television and websites over the past two years.

Meanwhile, a non-contact version of the game, called flag football, has been played at select schools in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for a number of years.

However, a small fan base and the game's complex rules, have hampered the NFL's efforts to date in China.

The problem is the lack of access to the "real games", according to Zhang Xiaochen, a NFL diehard from Tianjin University of Finance & Economics, who took part in the training session.

"Watching the games on the web is one thing, while witnessing the beauty of speed, strength and team play in a stadium is totally another. We need to get more involved in the game in our country," Zhang said.

Veteran Brewer echoed Zhang's words, citing "direct face-to-face events" as the best approach to attract fans.

"It's access! We need to really put people into the games so they can appreciate and love it," said the 32-year-old.

Despite the setbacks, the NFL remains undaunted and its quest to deliver a "catalyst" exhibition game in China continues.

The league initially conceived the China Bowl, a proposed preseason game between two high-profile teams, in 2007. However, it has been put on hold due to "logistics problems and complex preparatory work", said NFL Vice-President Chris Parsons during a China visit in 2009.