Zhangyu

Zhangyu TV was a Chinese online live-streaming platform specializing in sports broadcasts and user-generated commentary. Founded in 2015 by Zhang Xuan, the platform allowed users to act as sports anchors, providing personalized and interactive commentary on live games, which set it apart from traditional sports broadcasting. Zhang Xuan, a graduate of Tsinghua University's "Yao Class," developed a patented webpage P2P video acceleration system during his doctoral studies at Yale University, a technology that became a core advantage for Zhangyu TV by reducing bandwidth costs.

The company's business model was centered on interactivity, similar to platforms like YY, where viewers could purchase and send virtual gifts to their favorite commentators, creating a revenue stream. By August 2015, the platform had a daily active user base of over 3 million and monthly revenue of one million RMB. The platform hosted over 2,000 sports anchors, including former professional athletes like ex-footballer Xu Liang.

Zhangyu TV secured two funding rounds from prominent investors, including IDG Capital and Morningside Venture Capital. In January 2016, LeSports (then LeTV Sports) acquired Zhangyu TV for 300 million RMB, integrating it as its UGC (User Generated Content) live-streaming platform. Following the acquisition, founder Zhang Xuan was appointed as the first CTO of LeSports. However, following LeSports' subsequent financial difficulties, some Zhangyu TV commentators reported issues with unpaid wages.

Keywords: sports live-streaming, user-generated commentary, P2P video technology, online broadcasting, interactive sports, Chinese media, UGC platform, sports anchors, Zhang Xuan, LeSports acquisition, IDG Capital, Morningside Venture Capital, live commentary, virtual gifts, sports media.