Asian Sport Business Round Up

China dominated the news this week with announcements in sponsorships, venue management and marketing.
The Chinese car maker GAC Group has increased its sports sponsorship portfolio in a deal with the International Table Tennis Federation. The company previously title-sponsored the 2011 version of the World Championships in Rotterdam.
The arrangement will allow the ITTF to offer an overall prize of USD $2.5 million for the new world tour as well as another $1 million for the Grand Finals.
A total of 16 open international tournaments make up this year’s GAC Group 2012 ITTF World Tour. The season opened January 17 in Budapest.

GAC Group also has sponsorship arrangements with the English soccer side Crystal Palace and the NBA’s Houston Rockets.

The sports and entertainment provider AEG China will operate a new 18,000-seat arena in the northeastern seaport city of Dalian. The venue, located about 10 km. from the city’s downtown core, is part of a world-class facility of 82 hectares including a 60,000-seat stadium, 40,000 square meters of baseball fields and a 43,000-square meter tennis center.
The Dalian arena , set to be completed this summer, will host various events during the 2013 China National Games. The city is the southernmost urban center of Northeast China and the second largest city in Liaoning province.
AEG China chief executive John Cappo says the facility will house 41 luxury suites, VIP lounges and an assortment of top-level guest amenities. The company is a main player in the country’s venue operation market having served as design consultant and manager of the basketball arena during the Beijing Games. AEG China formed a joint venture with the NBA in 2008 to develop American-style arenas across the country.

The Chinese marketing agency Shankai Sports has been appointed as the exclusive sales agent in that country for the Uefa’s Euro 2012 Club Prestige Hospitality Program. The deal was set up by Match Hospitality AG, the official sales agent of the Club Prestige Hospitality Program for Uefa Euro 2012 in most regions outside the 53 member countries of the Uefa.
Shankai Sports, the Chinese sales agent for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, will sell various hospitality packages for this summer’s main soccer event in Poland and Ukraine. Euro 2012 kicks off in Warsaw, Poland on June 8th with the final match set for Kyiv, Ukraine on July 1.

In more soccer news, the Uefa announced media sales for Euro 2012 in Hong Kong, Singapore and Myanmar. In Hong Kong, now TV will air all 31 matches on its group of sports channels while in Singapore, StarHub will screen the games through its Football Channel. In Myanmar, Shwe Than Lwin Media will broadcast all matches live on its pay-TV channels.

The week rounded off with news that sports equipment giant Reebok has taken on a host of celebrity athletes such as F1 driving ace Lewis Hamilton and Indian cricketer Mahenda Singh (MS) Dhoni as part of its new marketing campaign.
The campaign is based on the theme: “The Sport of Fitness Has Arrived” and highlights weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics and rowing. The marketing initiative will be put out through TV, print, digital as well as consumer events and activities.
A company release says the new brand strategy is designed to change the way the public sees and appreciates fitness. A spokesperson said people are getting together to experience fitness in a community environment with shared goals and this campaign taps into this trend.

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