China
Features
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.
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.
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.
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.
Round-Up: Tencent earnings report, IPL sponsorship targets, Diamond League returns, and more
Lars Graff has been appointed co-tournament director of the China Open tennis tournament
UCI cancels Chinese events, reschedules Para Worlds
The International Cycling Union (UCI) has been forced to cancel this year’s WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour events in China due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, while new dates have been set for next yea…
Round-Up: KBO opens to more fans, RA sets Super Rugby deadline, US Open withdrawals, and more
The Korean KBO basketball league yesterday increased the number of fans allowed into games from 10 per cent of stadium capacity to 25 per cent - Naver
Premier League ‘mulls options after PPTV attempts renegotiation’
The English Premier League is assessing its options after its rights-holding broadcaster in China, streaming platform PPTV, is reported to have failed to make a rights-fee payment due earlier this year
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
China’s sports industry starts to think beyond Covid-19
Andrew Collins, chief executive at Mailman, and Shoto Zhu, founder and president of Oceans Marketing, talk to SportBusiness Asia senior analyst, Kevin McCullagh, about how the Chinese sports industry is…
Sun Yang’s downfall highlights China’s failure to develop individual stars
When the Court of Arbitration for Sports handed an eight-year ban to the six-time Olympic medallist Sun Yang, the Chinese sport hierarchy lost its most valuable individual star. Zhang Dan reports.
CFA regulations create casualties on Chinese football clubs’ hard road to sustainability
The Chinese Football Association’s tough line on football club finances has cooled spending at the top level and is pushing lower-tier teams toward oblivion. Chen Yaolin reports.
Can Chinese viewership help the Tour de Langkawi to fiscal health?
Malaysia’s UCI-certified Tour de Langkawi has long struggled with raising enough revenue to cover costs, but a path to break even may lie through China. SportBusiness’ Asia editor Kelvin Tan reports.
“We will not accept putting our content behind a paywall” | Jamie Lewin, Riot Games
Media rights are the fastest-growing revenue stream in esports – particularly in Asia – but, according to Riot Games’ head of strategic partnerships Jamie Lewin, they’re still a secondary target for game publishers. Kelvin Tan reports.
China’s sporting riches still out of reach for NFL
The NFL’s decision to pitch its marketing to Chinese sports fans in lifestyle terms doesn’t seem to be working yet, according to Chen Yaolin.
World Snooker Tour looks to global future with rebrand
The World Snooker Tour revealed a new corporate identity and name at the start of this year as it marked ten years of ownership by Barry Hearn's Matchroom Sport. The rebrand is intended to see it towards another decade of international growth, with China, India and the Middle East on snooker's radar.
Chinese athletes to benefit as government heads off potential for endorsement disputes in Olympic year
Regulation has limited the extent to which China’s sporting stars can capitalise on their sporting prowess via commercial deals. But recent rule changes by the General Administration of Sports offers new possibilities. Chen Yaolin investigates.
Tax exemptions and increased demand drive 16-per-cent growth of Chinese winter sports economy
China’s winter sport industry is booming ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. But the pace of development has created challenges for the Chinese state, from environmental and real estate policy to a lack of technical nous.
A 2021 Club World Cup can deliver on both Chinese and Fifa ambitions
Why Fifa has chosen to host the 2021 Club World Cup in China, and how the competition is a step forward towards China's football ambitions. Zhang Dan reports.
Will 2020 mark a return to health for China’s sporting stocks?
A two-year IPO freeze has hit Chinese sport companies, with numbers down and Wanda Sports’ listing a high-profile disappointment. How did ‘IPO fever’ fade, and will things change in 2020? Chen Yaolin reports.
‘Team China’ brand sets high partnership price, targets $400m in quadrennial revenue
China’s General Administration of Sport has announced a new collective brand for all of China’s Olympic and Paralympic sports teams: "Team China". Zhang Dan investigates the new marketing initiative.
Beijing 2022: two years away but political and commercial challenges abound
The organisers of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics have adopted a less-is-more approach to their domestic sponsorship programme. Zhang Dan reports on their progress in becoming the first city to host both the summer and winter Games.
What happens when Asia’s sporting legends retire?
The legends of Li Na, Kim Yuna and Lee Chong Wei have all retired and their absences leave gaping holes in their sports back home, one that sponsors and associations are keen to fill as quickly as possible.
Yao Ming’s CBA juggling act gets a boost from NBA travails
After the Morey tweets, sentiment in the Chinese basketball sponsorship marketplace has swung the CBA’s way, making it easier for its leadership to focus on raising the quality of its core product: the league. Chen Yaolin finds out more.
The real reason the CFA is letting the CSL fly free: money, of course
Chinese policy towards state ownership of sports leagues has performed a massive U-turn, with oversight of the Chinese Super League being passed to a private entity. SportBusiness looks at why, and what will happen next.
China’s vision for sport changes under new political and economic imperatives
The Chinese State Council’s September revision of the country’s sports strategy includes changes that will be critical to note for domestic and overseas sports industry players. Sports industry academic Daniel Zhang analysed the new plan for SportBusiness.
The NBA’s burnt bridges in China won’t be mended easily
Despite NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s best efforts, the wound from Daryl Morey’s pro-Hong Kong protest tweets will have lasting repercussions on the future of basketball in China, not least among fans and sponsors. Industry insiders in China tell SportBusiness about Chinese sentiment on the ground.