Asia
Features
Indian fantasy sports industry can surmount recent legal hurdles, say experts
IPL driving growth in Indian fantasy sports sector
Users predicted to hit 100m this year
Sector continues to face legal challenges
Japan’s modernising domestic leagues brace for pandemic setback
The Covid-19 pandemic has stalled a modernisation of Japanese sport with a lot of domestic teams falling back on private backers and corporations to see them through the crisis. Kevin McCullagh and Tom King report.
Japanese industry cautiously optimistic about rescheduled Tokyo Olympics
Against a background of renewed optimism that the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics will go ahead, Asian sports industry experts share their hopes that the event can bring a new maturity to the Japanese sports sector. Kevin McCullagh and Tom King report.
Five sports technology insights from All That Matters Online 2020
Highlights from the sports tech stream at the All That Matters Online 2020 conference, including the wearable that saved the PGA Tour and the trend for 'phygital' events. Reporting from Kevin McCullagh and Tom King.
Sepang International Circuit’s new CEO on his baptism of fire during the pandemic
SportBusiness speaks to Azhan Shafriman Hanif, Sepang International Circuit’s newly-appointed chief executive about his plans to overcome the current economic uncertainties created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Extreme E delays season start, drops Nepal for Patagonia
Electric off-road motorsport series Extreme E has confirmed the calendar for its inaugural season in 2021, which will start six weeks later than planned and feature a race in Patagonia after plans for…
Virus control centre planned for Tokyo Games
A Japanese government-led group has agreed to set up a disease control centre in the athletes village at next year's Tokyo Olympic Games
Round-Up: Australia confirm India series schedule, Fifa president tests positive for Covid-19, America’s Cup legal spat, and more
Cricket Australia confirmed the schedule for the Vodafone Test series, Dettol ODI Series and Dettol Twenty20 International Series against India – Cricket Australia
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Champions League broadcast rights on the market in Indonesia
Broadcasters in Indonesia and East Timor have been issued a deadline of November 12 to submit their first-round offers for rights to the Uefa Champions League after the sales process was launched by the…
CBA players may be set for income bump under new image rights rules
Liu Jiadi, partner, and Jeffrey Wilson, counsel, at Chinese law firm JunHe, explain the significance of new player image rights rules in the Chinese Basketball Association League.
Kevin McCullagh | Could IPL 2020 be one of the great Covid comebacks?
Kevin McCullagh takes a look at the world’s biggest annual cricket competition, the Indian Premier League, ahead of its move this year to the United Arab Emirates
Frank Leenders | Fiba tie-up with TCL is ‘more than just another deal’
Frank Leenders, director general of Fiba Media and Marketing Services, is optimistic about the future of basketball, in spite of the 'invisible enemy' of Covid-19. He speaks to Kevin McCullagh about this and the other challenges the federation has faced in 2020, such as losing much-loved ambassadors of the sport Kobe Bryant, David Stern and Borislav Stankovic.
Borussia Dortmund woos Chinese fans with virtual summer tour
SportBusiness speaks to Benjamin Wahl, head of China at Borussia Dortmund, about the BVB Virtual Asia Tour, which emerged out of the ashes of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Simon Chadwick | Sport feels the strain of East-West political tensions
Simon Chadwick, director of Eurasian Sport at emlyon Business School France/China, outlines the pressures being felt in the sports industry as political tensions ratchet up between China, the West and others.
The Big Debate | Will younger Asians be as engaged with sport as their elders?
Sport in Asia has been growing in popularity in recent decades, spurred by growth in interest in overseas leagues, encouragement from governments and the hosting of major events. But with media habits and cultural tastes changing, will today’s teenagers be as enamoured as the generations that went before them?
Dato’ Windsor John | AFC focuses on ‘business continuity’ and supporting associations
SportBusiness spoke to Dato' Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, about how the organisation has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and how it sees a brighter future, with a commercial rights contract getting underway and a Women's World Cup coming to the region in 2023.
How can the sports business in Asia respond to a de-globalised world?
How will global sports industries adapt to the likely prospect of a more inward looking world? And can cancelled events easily win back the hearts of fans in Asia? SportBusiness asks three experts on the region for their thoughts.
“The future of TV across Asia is online” | Takeaways from the APOS media conference, Part I
SportBusiness reports back from the APOS 2020 Virtual Series, the online incarnation of the leading Asia-Pacific media, telecoms and entertainment industry conference hosted by Media Partners Asia.
Former agent and translator aims to create Asian basketball’s ‘Champions League’
SportBusiness speaks to Matt Beyer, the chief executive of the East Asia Super League about his plans for the competition and his background working as a translator for Yi Jianlian in the NBA
The inside view as China sacrifices international sports events
The Chinese government recently said the country will not be hosting most of its planned international sports events this year, putting a number of major events in doubt. SportBusiness asked three local industry insiders for their thoughts on the potential for disruption.
Adrian Staiti | Five reasons to be optimistic about the sports industry post-Covid-19
Adrian Staiti, APAC president of sports marketing agency Sportfive, challenges the wary outlook for the sports industry and says a 'better normal' will flourish once markets come out of the pandemic.
Lee Choong Khay | After Covid-19, the sports media rights model must change
Lee Choong Khay, head of sport at Malaysian pay-television broadcaster Astro, implores rights-holders and broadcasters to take the opportunity of the Covid-19 interruption to reconsider the sports media rights model.
Protracted return for professional sport in China
Tom King looks at how China is getting its sporting calendar back on track, and how the global health crisis has affected some of the weaker industry players in the country.
Sportfive focused on sponsorship for Asia-Pacific growth in new era
Adrian Staiti, head of Apac and global sales at Sportfive, explains how the agency will move forward in the region in its post-AFC rights era and under new ownership.
DDMC Fortis becomes FMA and remains bullish as AFC project enters ‘operational’ phase
Football Marketing Asia CEO Patrick Murphy explains the rebrand of his agency and the change of gear within the business this year, and provides a progress report on its Asian Football Confederation project.
Japanese sport sets out on the long road back
Japan’s biggest domestic sports league, Nippon Professional Baseball, commenced its 2020 season on June 19 following a three-month delay due to Covid-19.
Ferrari looks east for business and a future F1 driver
SportBusiness speaks to Michael Smith, director of motorsport and commercial operations at Motorsport Australia, about the plans for the future of the sport in Australia, and reaching out to potential drivers in the Asia-Pacific region.
Singapore focuses on return on investment as city’s Covid-19 recovery plan gathers pace
Singapore’s biggest annual sporting event, the Formula 1 Grand Prix, has become a casualty of the pandemic, but as a regional hub for major sports agencies and with a track record of hosting major events, ‘destination Singapore’ is preparing to welcome back sport with a cost-conscious approach.