Hello Industry Friends, here is the very latest news and insights from China.
📰 Headlines: China prepares for biggest-ever Asian Games, President Xi to attend opening ceremony, Juventus renews Ganten partnership, sustainability goes under the sporting spotlight, local hospital wins cooperation with Team China, China’s appetite for adventure sports booms, huge demand for esports tickets at Asian Games, and competitors hope Asian Games could change attitudes towards esports.
🗞️ Top Industry News
Biggest-ever Asian Games Ready For Liftoff In China
The biggest Asian Games in history, including around 12k competitors - more than the Olympics - will open this Saturday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou after a year's delay due of Covid. Athletes including world and Olympic champions will battle for medals in 40 sports from athletics, swimming and football to esports and bridge. Nine sports, among them boxing, break dancing and tennis, will serve as qualifiers for next year's Paris Olympics. Read more on AFP (English) and CCTV (Chinese)
💡 Mailman Take: China managed to put on a successful Winter Olympics despite the hurdles Covid presented, with the Games taking place in a Beijing bubble. Now China has the opportunity, in front of packed stadiums, to put on one of the largest scale sporting events in the world in one of its most up-and-coming cities, Hangzhou - the home of Alibaba. China will feel like it has a point to prove and will want to show the world its back to its best after the country was one of the last globally to relax Covid restrictions.
China’s President Xi to Attend Hangzhou 2022 Opening Ceremony
China’s President Xi Jinping will attend the Opening Ceremony of the Asian Games, as announced by the country's Foreign Ministry. Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Ministry, has revealed that Xi will be present for the Ceremony which is due to be held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Saturday (September 23). Read more on Inside The Games (English) and China Youth Daily (Chinese)
Juventus Renews Ganten Partnership, Connects with Chinese Fans
The Italian club officially launched a series of fan activation events in Shanghai while celebrating the continuation of its partnership with bottled water brand, Ganten. Juventus legend Andrea Barzagli was on-hand, visiting Shanghai, joining a viewing party, as well as interacting in other marketing activities across the city. Read more on Ecoports (Chinese)
Sustainability Under Spotlight
The annual 3-day World Winter Sports Expo focused on sustainability in the further development of winter sports following the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022. The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics has been a significant driver for the country's winter sports in recent years, with lasting legacies in venues, talents and culture. China's winter sports industry is expected to reach $140bn by 2025, according to Zhang Li, executive vice president of the Asia Digital Group, which organised the expo. Read more on Global Times (English)
At-a-glance Guide to the Hangzhou Asian Games
Here is everything you need to know about the multisports extravaganza - bigger than the Olympic Games in terms of number of participants. Read more on AFP (English)
Asian Games Offer a Few Sports You May Not Recognize. How About Kabaddi, Sepaktakraw, and Wushu?
If you are bored with day-in, day-out sports like basketball or swimming or volleyball, then check out the Asian Games when they open in Hangzhou, China. Read more on The Independent (English)
Local Hospital Wins Cooperation with Team China
Approved by the All-China Sports Federation, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital has been deemed one of the designated hospitals for China's national sports teams. The hospital is the national orthopaedics centre. Read more on Shine (English) and Wenhui Daily (Chinese)
🤔 Opinion
The Great Outdoors: China’s Appetite for Adventure Sports Booms With an increasing number of Chinese people engaging in outdoor activities post-pandemic, the rapidly expanding outdoor sports sector presents a promising opportunity for international athletic brands to gain market share. The total value of China’s outdoor sports industry is expected to surpass $410.8bn by 2025, with the number of people participating in outdoor sports across the country already having exceeded 400m by the end of 2021, according to a development plan recently released by the country’s General Administration of Sport and seven other departments. Read more on Jing Daily (English)
🎮 Esports
Huge Demand for Esports Tickets at Hangzhou Asian Games
A lottery system was used to allocate tickets for esports, which is making its debut as a medal event at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Read more on Sixth Tone (English) and The Paper (Chinese) Competitors Hope Asian Games Could Change Attitudes Towards Esports
Gold medals will be up for grabs this time in China at the Asian Games in seven different games. After being a demonstration sport at the Asian Games in 2018, the Asian Electronic Sports Federation dreams of gaming being represented at the Olympics. Read more on AFP (English)
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