Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week, and my From the Top interview is with Li Shuangfu, President of Chinese sport business media Lanxiong Sports, where we talk about the current sports digital broadcast landscape in China. Alibaba & Suning to Team Up Chinese conglomerates Alibaba and Suning are reportedly looking to expand their relationship by establishing a joint venture dedicated to the sports industry. The deal is yet to be

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Dicos Delivers NBA Partnership The NBA (National Basketball Association) announced a deal with fast-food chain Dicos, making the Taiwan-based brand a marketing partner of NBA China. Dicos plan to engage fans with NBA-themed meals and family activities across its 2,500 outlets in China. They will also stage interactive fan events at this year’s NBA China Games, taking place on October 10 and 1

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: MORE Sports Lands in China Sports lifestyle media platform, MORE Sports, has officially entered the Chinese market with a grand launch event featuring basketball star Kevin Garnett and many local celebrities. MORE Sports is tailored for Chinese sports fans and the app showcases lifestyle and behind-the-scenes stories of popular NBA and CBA stars, ranging from cooking to fashion, music and mor

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: NBA and Alibaba Extend China Partnership The National Basketball Association (NBA) China and Alibaba Group have announced an expansion of their partnership to deliver NBA content on Alibaba’s platforms for the first time. This will also include an enhanced online shopping experience for consumers in China. The launch of an “NBA Section” across Alibaba’s platforms will leverage Alibaba’s techn

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Nike Sponsors Tencent’s LPL US sports apparel giant Nike has officially signed a 4-year sponsorship deal with Tencent for its League of Legends Pro League (LPL), becoming one of the lead partners of the top esports league. Nike will reportedly pay around $7.5 million a year for the apparel rights to all 16 LPL clubs. Read more on Lanxiong Sports (Chinese) and SportsPro (English) Mailman Take:

Welcome to the Red Card 2019 report, now in its 8th year of publication. The report identifies the number one European Football Club, League and Player online in China according to 8 metrics. The Red Card also includes the ‘China Digital Football Awards’ voted for by a panel of independent judges. The last 12 months have seen consistent growth in the football industry. Sports IPs no longer simply target brand awareness online, the challenge has been to balance this with digit

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Shunxin Sponsors Beijing 2022 Beijing 2022 has announced a new Official Sponsor, Beijing Shunxin Agriculture Co., Ltd, which produces Chinese baijiu, meat and other agricultural food products. As a sponsor of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Shunxin will provide a wide variety of food products for the Games. Read more on Tencent (Chinese) and Beijing2022 (English) Alispor

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Bundesliga Clubs Sign MOU to Develop Grassroots Football in China  FC Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund and Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach have shown commitment to developing football in the Jiangsu region as part of the 30-year cooperation between the clubs and Jiangsu Province. Read more on Dongqiudi (Chinese) Mailman Take: This is another move which highlights the unique approach of Bundesl

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: FIBA Signs Global Partnership with Ganten FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, has announced a global partnership with Ganten, Asia’s leading mineral water supplier. The partnership will help Shenzhen-based Ganten build its brand as it expands into new markets worldwide and strengthens links between FIBA and China’s business sector ahead of next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in C

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Liverpool Renews MG China Deal The renewal sees the car brand’s partnership with the club continue for a third successive year. The agreement has already witnessed the creation of limited edition LFC branded vehicles, the launch of a TV commercial, and club legends attending International Motor Shows in China. Read more on Liverpool’s Official Website (English) and NetEase Automobile (Chinese

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: PP Sports Scores Ligue 1 Deal Chinese digital sports platform PP Sports has signed a three-year deal (2018-2021) with the French Football League (LFP) for the exclusive new media rights in China to Ligue 1, the Coupe de la Ligue, and the Trophée des Champions. Read more on Sohu (Chinese) and Sport Business (English) Momentum Sports Merges with CAA China CAA China has announced a merger agreem

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Alibaba Finances Suning Sports Alibaba has made a significant investment in Suning Sports as part of Suning Sports’ A-round financing. Total investment is rumoured to be close to $600 million, valuing the company at over RMB 10 billion. Alibaba-owned Youku will launch its new Youku Sports channel in collaboration with Suning-owned PP Sports, as they aim to deliver a comprehensive digital spor

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: PP Sports Becomes Home of Bundesliga in China The German Bundesliga has signed a 5-year exclusive media partnership with Chinese digital media platform PP Sports. PP Sports will own the rights for the period 2018-2023 and will hold Bundesliga’s broadcasting and distribution rights in China for TV in cooperation with CCTV, and exclusively for internet, new media, OTT (over-the-top) services an

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: iQiyi Becomes Home of Golf in China Chinese OTT platform iQiyi has secured coverage to all four of men’s golf’s major tournaments after picking up rights to the US Open in China, adding to its rights to stream The Masters, The Open and PGA Championship. Read more on Sohu (Chinese) and SportsPro (English) Mailman Take: Compared to Tencent Sports and PPTV Sports, who are competing for the very

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Alibaba’s Youku Obtains New Media Rights to FIFA World Cup™ China Central Television (CCTV) has welcomed its second official FIFA World Cup™ New Media partner, Alibaba’s video platform Youku. Chinese fans will enjoy high-definition live streaming of all 64 matches on the Youku website and mobile app. As a strategic partner of Youku Smart TV, Hisense was also able to get the OTT broadcast righ

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Thierry Henry Named as Vatti Ambassador As an official sponsor of the French national team, Chinese kitchen appliance manufacturer Vatti has also signed Henry as brand ambassador. Announcing the partnership, Henry took part in a live stream on Weibo during which he showed off his Chinese culinary skills. Read more on Sohu (Chinese) Mailman Take: Working with Henry helps Vatti tie in French cu

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Zegna Launches Star Plan with Team China Ermenegildo Zegna Group has become a sponsor of China’s national football team. The Italian luxury menswear brand will launch a Rising Football Star Plan to help develop youth training across the country. Read more on Xinhuanet (Chinese) Mailman Take: Luxury brands engaging with sports organisations is a growing market trend. China’s teams can benefit

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: The NHL Returns to China The National Hockey League (NHL) will return to China this September for a pair of preseason games between the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames making up the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games. The preseason games will take place in Shenzhen (15th) and Beijing (19th). Read more on the NHL official website (English) Mailman Take: Last year, the attendance for the NHL China Ga

Here are the top China sports business news stories you need to know from this week: Tencent Signs Strategic Partnership with MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) and Chinese tech giant Tencent have announced a wide-ranging partnership that includes live-streaming 125 games and exclusive carriage of Jewel Events such as the All-Star Game and World Series. Read more on Tencent (Chinese) and CNN (English) Manchester United Partners with Ping An Ping An Bank has become the Official R

China is ice hockey’s next big market, or so hopes the NHL. This week, the first official NHL games to be played in China will be held in Shanghai and then Beijing, the NHL is making its big push into the market. A major focus for the league must be engaging and winning over China’s rapidly growing middle-class, particularly its younger demographics. To do this, they must establish a strong and localised presence on Chinese social media. It is where the most potential fans ar