Asia Sports Business Weekly | 18th October

Hello Industry Friends, here is the very latest news and insights from Asia.

?? Headlines: The Premier League opens a Beijing office, Lenovo partners with FIFA, squash returns to China, golfer Yin Ruoning makes history, Rolex Shanghai Masters breaks records, and Lululemon blooms in Shanghai.?

??? Key Industry News

English Premier League Opens Beijing Office

The opening of the league’s third international office will support the continued growth of the league and its clubs in China. Building on the Premier League’s longstanding work to promote football in the region, the office will help create more opportunities for fans in China to engage with the League and clubs. The league also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with the Chinese Football Association. Read more on SBJ?(English)

?? Our Take: Opening an office, particularly around the media rights negotiations period, signals that China remains an important international market for the Premier League. Unfortunately, we’ve not seen any Premier League teams play games in China since before the pandemic - hopefully, this office opening will encourage teams to return to the country for matches next year.?

Lenovo Announced as FIFA’s Global Tech Partner for World Cups

The Chinese multinational computer company has signed on to become FIFA’s official technology partner, joining Visa, Coca-Cola, Hyundai-Kia, Qatar Airlines, Adidas and Aramco as global partners, the highest level of sponsorship sold by FIFA for the 2026 men’s and 2027 women’s World Cups. Read more on Sportico?(English)

?? Our Take: A familiar trend of Chinese mega-brands partnering with global sporting events to grow their exposure outside of the mainland. Whether it’s the FIFA World Cup, the EUROs, the Olympics, we’re seeing more Chinese brands activating outbound as they look to grow their global footprint, wideN their consumer base, and make a statement partnership.

2024 China Open Squash Returns to Shanghai

The venue is built next to the Crescent Lagoon outdoor swimming pool at the Oriental Sports Center. As part of the PSA World Tour, the China Open Squash is currently the highest-level professional squash event to be hosted on the Chinese mainland. Historically held annually in Shanghai from 2006 to 2019, the tournament was suspended in 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more on China Daily?(English)

?? Our Take: Soon to become an Olympics sport, squash is on the charge in China and it picking up in popularity. Organised by the state-owned Juss Sports, which operates sports events such as the Rolex Shanghai Masters and F1, the China Open for squash in Shanghai will be a good litmus test OF how far the sport has come in the region.

Yin Ruoning Becomes First Chinese Golfer to Claim LPGA Shanghai Title

The world number 4 from China triumphed at the 2024 Buick LPGA Shanghai at the Qizhong Garden Golf Club, becoming the first local player to win the title in the tournament's history. Yin finished with a remarkable four-round total of 263 strokes, 25 under par. Read more on China Daily?(English)

?? Our Take: Golf in China has been on the rise despite occasional run-ins with the government over corruption. What China has never been short of is a good crop of local players, from Feng Shanshan to Li Haotong, and Yin Ruoying has become the latest star to emerge from the sport.

Rolex Shanghai Masters Attracted Record-high Number of On-site Spectators

Over 220k spectators watched the ATP Shanghai Masters on-site at the Qizhong Tennis Center from Sept 30 to Oct 13, setting a record high for the world's top tennis tournament, according to event organizers. Nearly 70 percent of the spectators came from outside Shanghai, as the tournament was held throughout the National Day holiday, as revealed by Juss Sports and the Minhang district of Shanghai where the center is located.?Read more on China Daily?(English)

?? Our Take:?According to organizers, 220k fans watched the ATP Shanghai Masters on-site from Sept 30 to Oct 13, setting a record high for the tournament. Roughly 70 percent came from outside Shanghai, as the tournament was held throughout the Golden Week holiday. As for sports tourism - an industry rapidly growing in China, the Shanghai Masters offered a special ticket promotion "Ticket & Travel" for spectators, navigating tennis spectators to visit famous tourist attractions in Shanghai, including the Huangpu River Cruise and the Grand Exhibition of ancient Egyptian artifacts at the Shanghai Museum.

History Made as Two Chinese Men Enter ATP Top 50

Shang Juncheng and Zhang Zhizhen have made history for Chinese men's tennis by securing spots in the ATP top 50 rankings. According to the latest ATP rankings released on Monday, 19-year-old Shang has broken into the top 50 for the first time, ranking 49th. Along with Zhang who currently sits 46th, this marks the first time two Chinese men's players have simultaneously been listed among the world's top 50.?Read more on China Daily?(English)

Manchester United Agrees New Sponsorship Deal with Tiger Beer

The agreement announced names the Singapore brand as the official beer partner of the English Premier League club. Tiger’s brand will be showcased for the first time in Old Trafford on LED boards during Saturday’s match against Brentford. Read more on SportBusiness?(English)

Wondr Jakarta Running Festival 2024 Successfully Held

PT Kelompok Lari Bangsa (KLAB) successfully held the Wondr Jakarta Running Festival 2024 at Istora Gelora Bung Karno, including race pick collection, entertainment, culinary, and the main event: the running competition which was attended by more than 16k runners. The event collaborated with more than 100 brands including Adidas, Garmin, On, and Saucony. Read more on?Jakarta Running Festival Official?(English)

??Our Take: Running events are currently very popular in Indonesia along with the government pushing for a healthier population. Almost every month there is a big running event, but the 2024 Wondr Jakarta Running Festival 2024 can be said to be the biggest so far, with 16k participants supported by 100+ brands. During the four days of the event, the economic growth in the surrounding area was estimated by the media to be $1.5m.

Oakley Officially Sponsors ‘BMW Ladies Championship’

The Global sports brand will officially sponsor the "BMW Ladies Championship 2024," a U.S. LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament, for the third consecutive year. The tournament is the only LPGA event in South Korea, featuring a total prize fund of $2.2m, with the winner receiving $330k. Read more on Smart Today?(Korean)

World Games Series Opens in Hong Kong

The opening ceremony of the inaugural World Games Series in Hong Kong welcomed 88 athletes from 35 countries and regions, with a senior government official praising the role of the event in helping to promote sport in the city. Read more on SCMP?(English)

??? Opinion

Can Nike's Leadership Overhaul Reignite Growth in China?

As a new executive team steps in at Nike, an innovation-led strategy will be vital to reclaiming The Swoosh’s crown. Read more on Jing Daily?(English)

Lululemon’s ‘Wellbeing Garden’ Blooms in Shanghai

Athletic apparel retailer’s initiative in China highlights its community-driven approach, blending movement and mindfulness to create deep customer engagement. Read more on Jing Daily?(English)

?? Esports

‘League of Legends’ World Championship to Be Live Streamed in Chinese Cinemas

Live coverage of the 2024 “League of Legends” World Championship esports series will be shown in some 200 cinema screens in mainland China. The events will be shown exclusively in Imax theaters operated by Wanda, China’s largest cinema chain. Read more on Variety?(English)

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