Asia
Features
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.
Inox to promote cinema chain in Indian Olympic team deal for Tokyo 2020
Indian conglomerate Inox Group has signed as the official sponsor of the Indian Olympic team for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
M-League to return, J.League hit by outbreak
Malaysia’s top football league, the M-League, will resume games on August 26 after a five-month gap due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Round-Up: ATP Cup talks continue, English football schedule unveiled, FanCode gets MLB rights, and more
Tennis Australia is keen on hosting the second edition of the ATP Cup next year in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney, and is in talks with the Association of Tennis Professionals about doing so
K League crowds to go up to 25-per-cent capacity
The restriction on fans attending South Korean football games will be raised to 25 per cent of stadium capacity from July 14
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.
LaLiga’s Chinese JV focuses on sponsorship, merchandising in push to become leading foreign football league
LaLiga is aiming to become the biggest overseas football league in China via its new joint-venture in the market with Mediapro and Super Sports Media, Sergi Torrents, the JV’s chief executive, told SportBusiness this week.
“Remind people that you’re part of their lives” – DDMC Fortis’s Ned Negus on sponsorship behind closed doors
Ned Negus, executive vice-president, partnerships, at DDMC Fortis spoke to SportBusiness about the challenge for the sponsorship sector posed by sport being played behind closed doors, and the Covid-19 crisis more broadly. He says there is a big opportunity for sponsors in being present as sport returns, helping to bring sport back into people's lives.
Mohit Lalvani | Public health a fruitful theme in search for sponsorship spend and ROI during Covid-19
Mohit Lalvani, founder and CEO of 1 Play Sports, the Singapore-based sports streaming services provider, identifies a potentially valuable avenue for sponsorship during the pandemic, that may resonate with the public and governments
Asian football fan clubs cry out for live digital experiences during shutdown
SportBusiness speaks to Asian fan clubs of European football teams to see what they made of their favourite teams' efforts to keep them engaged during the pandemic.
Asian e-commerce live streams attract early-mover sports properties
Ecommerce live streams are a growing phenomenon in online retail in Asia, and sports businesses are starting to dip their toes in the water.
Petronas Yamaha SRT aims to tap burgeoning racing interest in “two-wheel” SE Asia
Tom King talks to Razlan Razali, team principal of Petronas Yamaha SRT MotoGP team, about the growth potential for motorcycle racing in Southeast Asia.
Chinese football tackles salary reduction
Shen Jiang, senior associate at Jingtian & Gongcheng, and Luca Ferrari, partner and global head of sports at Withers, consider the legal issues around the player wage reductions now agreed by all Chinese Super league clubs
Green screen dreams becoming reality in Covid-19 era
Virtual backdrops and ‘watch together’ social media services are in focus as sport returns behind closed doors.
DBS bank bullish on esports investments in Asia
Bank’s investment office is recommending investments in esports and gaming.
Says Covid-19 will accelerate sector growth in Asia-Pac.
Sees game developers as the biggest beneficiaries of growth.
KBO and K League create templates for the return of sport
Korea’s football and baseball leagues have published detailed guidelines governing their resumptions this week.
Failure to insure against pandemic will catch out many Asia-Pac sports properties
Only a handful of the biggest sports events globally were insured for the Covid-19 interruption. Tommy Elliot of specialist events insurer Circles Group tells SportBusiness about the implications for sports properties, and for his own industry.
Online tournaments keep Southeast Asian esports revenues flowing during pandemic
Chris Tran, head of esports in Southeast Asia for League of Legends publisher Riot Games, and Mark Chew, managing director of marketing agency Reddentes Sports, spoke to SportBusiness earlier this month…