Asia Sports Business Weekly | 30th May
- Denis Green
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Hello Industry Friends, here is the very latest news and insights from Asia.
📰 Headlines: UFC announces Shanghai return, Joe Tsai backs Asian University Basketball League, LaLiga and Chinese Pro League sign deal, Zhao Xintong becomes BYD ambassador, world’s first humanoid robot kickboxing match, and Greenfly expands to Japan via JLPGA partnership.
🗞️ Key Industry News
UFC Announces Shanghai Return
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is making strategic strides in its global expansion, with its highly anticipated return to the Chinese mainland poised to further solidify mixed martial arts (MMA) within the nation’s sporting landscape. Having last hosted a live event in mainland China six years ago, the UFC has experienced a significant surge in public awareness and appreciation for the sport. This heightened interest establishes a strong foundation for the organisation’s triumphant comeback this summer. Read more on China Daily (English)
💡 Mailman Take: Shanghai's summer just got even hotter. The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to mainland China this summer for the first time since 2019, the year Zhang Weili became the country's first-ever champion. The organisation and its stars have been on a monumental rise in China since then, across viewership, social numbers, media coverage, and the rest. If UFC Fight Night Macau last November was a bellwether for what's to come in Shanghai this August, then UFC fans are in for a treat.
Joe Tsai Invests in Asian University Basketball League
The owner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Brooklyn Nets and the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) New York Liberty has invested in the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL). The AUBL plans to replicate the excitement of the March Madness college basketball tournament to Asia, and to spotlight the region’s brightest young talent to a global audience. Read more on SportsPro (English)
💡 Mailman Take: Joe Tsai's AUBL investment could transform Asian basketball. The NBA thrives here, but Asia lacks what makes U.S. college hoops powerful: a star-making collegiate system. The AUBL's mission? Import March Madness energy, forge new rivalries, and spotlight future stars. The real test will be making university ball must-see entertainment that connects amateurs to pros. Crack this, and Asia gets its own talent pipeline - finally turning potential into dominance.
LaLiga, Chinese Pro League Sign Strategic Collaboration
The organising body of the top two divisions of Spanish club football has announced the signing of a four-year strategic collaboration with the Chinese Professional Football League (CFL), the standalone league body launched this year to oversee the Chinese Super League. LaLiga said the collaboration, the first signed by the CFL with a European league, is intended to facilitate the development of Chinese professional football over the next four years. Read more on SportBusiness (English)
Zhao Xintong Becomes BYD Champion Ambassador
Following his recent success in Sheffield at the World Championships, Chinese snooker star Zhao Xintong has partnered with popular electric vehicle company BYD. Read more on Express (English)
💡 Mailman Take: It was only a matter of time until notable Chinese brands started snapping up Zhao Xintong as an ambassador following his heroics at The Crucible recently. Zhao is set to take the sport to the next level and beyond in his home country, judging by the social success, media coverage and viewership records achieved across the board. To help elevate snooker even further, Zhao's compatriot Bai Yulu has just become the first female in seven years to defend the World Women's Snooker Championship.
HOKA Bets on Zest for Running
With the first brand experience centre opened in downtown Shanghai in early May, sports brand HOKA aims to better explore the market potential in China by leveraging opportunities to do "something bolder, bigger, more experience-led, and something to surprise and delight Chinese consumers", said the company's top executives. Read more on China Daily (English)
China Stages First-Ever Humanoid Robot Kickboxing Match
In a clash of metal, might, and artificial intelligence, Unitree Robotics’ humanoid robots threw punches and kicks in the world’s first kickboxing fight of its kind in China. The China Media Group (CMG) World Robot Competition – Mecha Fighting Series, the first-ever humanoid robot fighting tournament, kicked off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on May 25. Read more on Asia Times (English)
Hyundai Signs On As Lead Backer of ASEAN Championship
The South Korean automotive manufacturer has signed on as the new title sponsor of the ASEAN Football Federation’s premier men’s national team tournament, the ASEAN Championship. Hyundai will also serve as a presenting partner of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup, the ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup and the ASEAN U-23 Championship. Read more on SportBusiness (English)
Bai Yulu Defends Women's World Snooker Championship
China's Bai Yulu has become the first player in seven years to defend the World Women's Snooker Championship after the 21-year-old outclassed world number one Mink Nutcharut 6-4 in a gripping final in Dongguan, Guangdong Province. Read more on CGTN (English)
Greenfly Moves into Japan with JLPGA Deal
The US digital media company has agreed a multi-year deal with the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (JLPGA), marking its first partnership with a sports body in the country. The JLPGA will harness Greenfly to drive sponsor value, engagement and reach by helping build the brands of its athletes through the distribution of digital media content. Read more on SportBusiness (English)
BMA Partners with Gamba Osaka to Develop Thai Youth Football Skills
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has joined forces with Japanese football club Gamba Osaka to enhance the football skills of Thai youth, aiming to elevate them to an Asian level. Read more on Nation Thailand (English)
China’s Pro-Wrestlers Search For a Star
As a child, Wang Tao was inspired by the American film The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. Now 25, he is China’s poster boy for the sport. Read more on The Guardian (English)
🎮 Esports
VALORANT Mobile Closed Beta in China to Start in June
While an exact release date is yet to be revealed, Riot has confirmed that it’s coming in the next couple of weeks. Read more on Esports Insider (English)
Nubia Launches Handset Aimed at Gaming, Esports Fans
The Chinese smartphone manufacturer unveiled its latest handset targeting gaming and esports enthusiasts, the Red Magic 10S Pro series, as the company aims to capture a bigger share of the mid-range to high-end mobile phone market. Read more on China Daily (English)
Vietnam, South Korea Sign Strategic Gaming Industry Partnership
Vietnam and South Korea have officially signed a bilateral cooperation agreement to foster joint development and production in the gaming industry. The partnership also includes knowledge exchange on game rating systems, eSports engagement, and workforce training programs for game development. Read more Vietnamnet (English)
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