NFL US football season is just weeks away with league officials looking to promote the game on an international basis. One of the places American football wants to hit is China.

The NFL has launched publicity campaigns in the last year centering on education and outreach. Measures include special events and broadcasts. They also involve NFL personnel past and present going over to China and staging appearances, even coaching up-and-coming players.

Like Us on Facebook

While the sport is mainly confined to larger cities like Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing, NFL officials see huge potential for growth in a nation of 1.3 billion people. Richard Young, chief of NFL China, said league research showed nine million Chinese followed the game with three million classified as avid fans. Interest was growing rapidly, he added.

Former San Francisco 49er Hall of Fame quarterback, he of the four Superbowl trophies, Joe Montana went to Guangzhou earlier this year to get Chinese ready for some football. Noting how many Americans started to love soccer in recent years, Montana said he was confident that Chinese people would warm up to football once they were acquainted with it.

Ricky Williams, former Texas Heisman Trophy winner and NFL running back who gained more than 10,000 yards in an interesting and controversial 11-year NFL and CFL career went over to China this year to coach 120 Chinese college students competing for 55 spots on a national team competing in the country's initial international tournament. Former NFL star tight end Byron Chamberlain also helped coach the squad.

Williams said Chinese players had a long way to go because they weren't ready for the tough contact of the sport. Nonetheless, he said it was fun watching them compete. Once they got over the shock of full-contact tackle football, they really took to it, he added.

American football is called "ganlanqui" in Chinese. Translated, this means olive ball. Chinese associated football with soccer, so coined the term based on the football pigskin's appearance, according to Tom Pelissero, who accompanied Williams to China.

NFL games are broadcast on 24 Chinese media  outlets, according to Chris Parsons, NFL senior vice president for international affairs. The league sponsored three events in-country last year drawing more than 100,000 fans. While not a top-10 sport yet in China, the sport is gaining traction, Parsons said, and moving to a higher tier of interest and participation.

Some players of Chinese descent have appeared in NFL games. Ed Wang of Virginia Tech was drafted in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills in 2010 and appeared as an offensive lineman in six games for the club.

Quarterback Timmy Chang went from the University of Hawaii to stints from 2005 to 2008 with the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles along with NFL Europe and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. Kailee Wong went from Stanford to an eight-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans.

TagsNFL, NFL season, Sports, Football, Joe Montana, Ricky Williams, NFL Europe, CFL