Hello Industry Friends, here is the very latest news and insights from Asia.
📰 Headlines: Zheng Qinwen hails China’s tennis boom, Asian Winter Games steps up preparation, J-League’s attendance record is broken, Hong Kong woos snooker chiefs, Hyundai partners with BRI Liga 1 Indonesia, and FISE lands in Shanghai.
🗞️ Key Industry News
Zheng Qinwen Hails China's Tennis Boom
The Olympic champion said that tennis has become so popular in China that players are struggling to book courts and find coaches. Zheng became the first Chinese player to win an Olympic singles tennis gold when she triumphed in Paris, sparking an unprecedented wave of interest in the sport at home. Read more on China Daily (English)
Asian Winter Games Preparation Steps Up
With venues almost completed and testing events underway, Harbin has stepped up a gear in its final preparation for hosting an excellent Asian Winter Games next year to promote ice and snow sports in the region. Read more on China Daily (English)
💡 Our Take: Winter sports in China have been booming ever since the Beijing Winter Olympics, from both a participation level as well as a commercial. The recent opening of the world’s largest indoor ski resort in Shanghai has injected further impetus to this boom, offering more opportunities for enthusiasts to try out a variety of winter sports. We expect this drive to continue right through the Asian Winter Games and beyond.
J-League’s Record-Breaking Season Attendance Exceeds 10.4m Mark
The J-League announced that this season's total attendance (J1, J2, and J3 across 1,016 matches) has surpassed 10.4m, setting a new record. The average attendance for J1 matches is now over 20k, the highest since 2019. With 124 matches remaining this season, there is anticipation regarding how much higher the record will climb. Read more on NHK (Japanese)
Hong Kong’s Appeal as ‘Prominent Global City’ Woos Snooker Chiefs
Global snooker chiefs have hailed Hong Kong’s credentials as an events host after confirming details of the first major tournament to be held in the city in 35 years. Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a “prominent global city” with a “world-class” facility was cited by World Snooker Tour (WST), operator of the sport’s professional circuit, as it unveiled details of the World Grand Prix, to take place from March 4 to 9 next year. Read more on SCMP (English)
Hyundai Partners with BRI Liga 1 Indonesia
Hyundai Motors Indonesia will become the Official Vehicle Partner for BRI Liga 1 Indonesia for the 2024/2025 season. In this partnership, Hyundai provides 35 STARGAZER units as operational cars that will be used during Liga 1 this season. They also tied five top national players as brand ambassadors for this partnership. Read more at Antara (Indonesia)
💡Our Take: A surprising move from Hyundai, because previously their brand was not tied to sports in Indonesia. However, this is a breakthrough and benchmark for other vehicle companies, because of the unique form of partnership, providing cars for league operations. On the other hand, the league operations are clearly helped because transportation is often a fundamental issue for them. If it goes well, this will be a new business potential for the league to attract other vehicle companies.
FISE Shanghai Lands on West Bund
The FISE World Series, a global extreme sports tour from France, kicked off in Xuhui district's West Bund in Shanghai on Oct 16. Nearly 560 athletes from 39 countries and regions worldwide gathered on the West Bund from Oct 16 to 20, vying for championship titles across nine events. Read more on China Daily (English)
Son Reveals Passion for League of Legends
The Tottenham Hotspur forward has joined forces with Riot Games to express his passion for League of Legends. Son, who has previously said in an interview that he likes to play League of Legends during his off time, spoke about his life, journey in football, and the importance of gaming in the new film. Read more on Sport Industry (English)
💡 Our Take: This is a brilliant move by both Riot Games and Son as it continues to promote League of Legends as the #1 game in South Korea, grows Son’s relatability and likeability, and deepens the relationship between him and Faker - both mega-stars in their respective sports. It also further legitimizes esports to mainstream audiences by connecting it with football, which opens up gaming to an even wider audience, translating to a larger pool of potential customers.
Fiorentina Signs Jiuyou as First Asian Sponsor
Italian Serie A club Fiorentina has announced sports and entertainment platform Jiuyou as its first regional partner in Asia. The deal will cover the “upcoming seasons” and will provide Jiuyou with brand exposure in Asia via virtual advertising technology on LED boards at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. The agreement will also include a programme of marketing activities that will be implemented over the course of the season. Read more on SportBusiness (English)
Li Ning Forms Joint Venture to Manage Brand Outside of Mainland China
China-based sports footwear and sportswear company Li Ning Company, Ltd is reporting that it has entered into a joint venture (JV) to develop and operate the Li Ning Brand business exclusively outside of Mainland China, principally in an area that includes Hong Kong, Macau Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan. Read more SGB Online (English)
Wuhan Plays its Aces to Cash in on Tennis Fever
A string of top tennis champions, elite tournaments, and high-level training programs turn the city into a hub for the sport. Read more on China Daily (English)
🤔 Opinion
China’s Sportswear Surge: A Golden Opportunity for Luxury
The rapidly growing sportswear segment, propelled by national pride and a focus on health and wellness, presents new opportunities for luxury brands. Read more on Jing Daily (English)
🎮 Esports
MPL Philippines Records Over 1.6m Peak Viewers
The Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines (MPL Philippines), the Southeastern Asian country’s top-tier league for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, has recorded its highest-ever peak viewership for its 14th season. The season saw a peak of 1.6m viewers and around 130k average viewers across over 161 hours of airtime, according to esports data platform Esports Charts. Read more on Esports Insider (English)
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