Weekly Asian Sports Business Round Up

October went out like a lion with plenty of soccer sponsorship deals, some Japanese baseball and the cancelling of a classic tennis event.

Manchester United’s sponsorship roster grew in Pakistan after a three-year deal was signed with the mobile telecommunications company Zong.
Zong is now the Premier League champion’s official mobile partner in that country. The arrangement allows customers to watch exclusive material such as news clips and interviews.
Team commercial director Richard Arnold said Zong is a young company but it’s very ambitious. “…Partnering with United will give them visibility as well as helping the club to communicate directly with millions of our supporters there.”
Team officials estimate there are some ten million Manchester United fans in Pakistan.
The 12-time title holder came back from a serious drubbing recently at the hands of Manchester City with a 3-0 win at Aldershot.

The newest team in the I-League (India's soccer league), Pune FC has signed a two-year sponsorship deal with the Indian technology services firm Infosys. The company’s logo will be displayed in Pune’s home stadium and on the jerseys of the Maharashtra-based team.

Pune FC was formed in 2007 and finished in third place in the 2009-10 I-League season.

Indonesia was in the news with soccer and volleyball sponsorships.

Real Madrid extended its partnership with snack company Dua Kelinki for another two years.

The deal gives Dua Kelinki the right to use Real Madrid’s image and logo in its marketing promotions within that widespread country. The Indonesian population is larger than those of France, Germany, the UK and Portugal combined.
BNK Negara Indonesia has agreed to back the country’s national volleyball teams during next month’s Southeast Asian Games.
Published reports say the bank will pay US $113,000 for purchase of equipment and prize money.
The Southeast Asian Games is a multi-sport event held every two years with 11 countries participating. This year’s games will be held from 11-22 November in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.
The electronic entertainment company Konami has been named as the title sponsor of the upcoming Nippon Series baseball tournament.
The championship series follows the Major League World Series format with the winners of each domestic league competing in a seven-game series.
Konami has cooperated with the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization in the past producing baseball games software, arcade machines and games.
The 2010 Nippon Series included the longest game in the history of the series with the Chunichi Dragons tieing the Chiba Lotte Marines 2-2 in a 15-innings match. The 2011 Konami Nippon Series begins November 12th.
The week ended off with a sponsorship that didn’t happen. The Hong Kong Tennis Classic has been postponed because organizers were unable to find a title sponsor.
Ian Wade, president of the Hong Kong Tennis Patrons’ Association said the current financial situation made it difficult finding a backer .
Past sponsors of the event have included Canon, Fila and Cathay Pacific. The Hong Kong Tennis Classic has attracted top seeded players including Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams.

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Weekly Asian Sport Business Review

The news this week included sponsorships in Japanese women’s football, the world cyber games in Jordan, Pakistani cricket and a book of memoirs by Chinese tennis star Li Na.


The Toyota Motor Corporation has become a sponsor of the Japanese Women’s Football League and will back the Nadeshiko League till March of 2013.
The agreement will give Toyota signage exposure at matches and will include the Nadeshiko logo and game photos in its marketing projects.
The Nadeshiko League is composed of the Plenus National League and the Plenus Challenge League. The league champions are scheduled to meet the current English Women’s Football Association champions, the Arsenal Ladies in the Toyota Vitz Cup to be held November 30th.
Toyota also sponsors the annual Fifa Club World Cup Japan, an international club tournament to name the world’s best men’s club soccer team. Previous winners have included Manchester United, Barcelona and A.C. Milan.

South Korean electronics producer Samsung was the main sponsor of Jordan’s International World Cyber Games Championships held recently at the Zara Expo, in Amman.
The company operated a space-age booth allowing visitors a chance to try out company products through hands-on, interactive tools.
Samsung Levant president Sang Sok Roh said the his company can show off its advanced technologies and innovations through the cyber games industry.

“It allows it to demonstrate a high level of interactivity and extreme clarity resulting in an exceptional experience,” he said.
Games featured at the event included Warcraft 111, Starcraft 2, Tekken 6, Counter strike, FIFA 2011, League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Asphalt 6, Angry Birds and Guitar Hero 5.
The 2011 World Cyber Games Grand Final will be held Dec. 8-11 in Busan, Korea and will involve some 450 participants from 63 countries.

The American soft drink giant Pepsi will continue its sponsorship of the Pakistan Cricket Board and will support the board’s umpire review system in several upcoming series.
The announcement came soon after an International Cricket Council changed its policy on mandatory use of empire decision review systems.
The deal with Pepsi will cover the board’s umpire review system during series against Sri Lanka and a one-day series against England next year.

The week ends off with news that Chinese tennis star Li Na is writing the story of her life.
Penguin Books acquired the Chinese language rights to the book after making a deal with management agency IMG Worldwide.
“How To Go West and Win” is due out just prior to the 2012 French Open.
The number seven ranked world player said she hopes her story can inspire people of all ages.
"Li Na is the most successful tennis player in China's history and an inspiration to millions of Chinese.
Her book will explain how she did it." added her manager Max Eisenbud
The 29-year-old starlet became the first Asian Grand Slam winner after she took the Roland Garros event earlier this year. Her successful on-court performance so far this season has led to endorsements with Mercedes-Benz, Crown Casinos, Haagen-Dazs and Rolex.
      

Asian Sport Business Round Up

This week’s news is on sponsorships lined up for an upcoming cricket series in the United Arab Emirates, the Hong Kong marathon and the Asian Gaelic Games as well as a media deal that will broadcast Chinese basketball in America.


The upcoming cricket series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has a growing list of commercial backers including Bank Alfalah as the presenting sponsor. Bank Alfalah has been a keen supporter of domestic cricket in Pakistan for several years and sponsored various UAE-hosted cricket series against Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa.

The Pakistani private bank, owned by the Abu Dhabi Group, joins Emirates Airlines and the telecommunications company Mobilink as title sponsor.

The Mobilink Jazz Cup 2011, held from October 18 to November 25, will include three tests, five one day internationals and one T20. The first test will be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.


The classic running event, the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, has added the Chinese clothing manufacturer Xtep International as apparel partner for next year’s run.

Xtep will provide apparel to the 70,000 athletes participating in the 16th annual run and will promote its tag line: “Love Running, Love Xtep” through the sponsorship.

Commenting on the fact that his company is the first in mainland China to sponsor the race, CEO Ding Shui Po said running sportswear is a core focus for Xtep.


The Asian  Gaelic Games have signed a deal with the Irish money transfer business, Fexco as title sponsor.

The company wants to leverage its involvement with the Games through the Asia Pacific Irish Business Forum being held at the same time.

Fexco spokesperson Dermot O’Shea said Asia is instrumental in in his company’s development and it plans on hiring 20 more workers in the region next year.

The 2011 Asian Gaelic Games, held at the Suwon World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea between October 14-16, will include ladies and juvenile football matches with some 800 athletes.


The week rounds off with a media deal between the Chinese Basketball Association and the broadcaster One World Sports to air CBA Professional League games in North America.

Two CBA games will be shown every week in the US as well as the CBA All-Star match held in February, 2012.

This contract adds to One World Sports’ portfolio of the Asian sports scene that includes Australian A-League, Japan J-League, Korean K-League and the Chinese Super League. The network also has distribution rights with One Asia Golf Tour and table tennis, badminton and squash events.

Representatives of both sides are happy with the agreement. One World Sports chief Preston Bornman said the Chinese Basketball Association will be an exciting plus for American viewers while the managing director of the CBA’s commercial partner Infront China, Ma Guoli said the fact that Chinese basketball games are being shown in America is proof the League is gaining popularity around the world.

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Asian Sport Business Round Up

October starts up with some late season motorsport news, a little soccer and lots of media deals out of India.

Sponsorship contracts were announced with two Grand Prix events to be held later this season.
Global sportswear maker Puma has become the official merchandise sponsor of the Buddh International Circuit, the site of the inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix.

The company will continue its involvement with Ferrari branded products and will stay on as team and race wear supplier for Scuderia Ferrari.
Managing director of Puma India, Rajiv Mehta said the arrangement is a perfect mix. “We see this
association as a pioneering effort in the field of motorsports merchandise in India which suits the needs of the million fans to reflect their spirit and passion for the sport in style. Also, our extended association with Ferrari is a great benefit to the brand as they are an ideal motorsport partner for us in every respect.”

The first ever Indian Grand Prix and its affiliates have secured several other sponsors including Indian diary producer Amul that will partner with the Swiss racing team Sauber, the Indian motorcycle maker Hero Motors that will back local driver Narain Karthikeyan while Mercedes-Benz will provide official cars at the event.
The Indian Grand Prix will be held October 28-30.

Meanwhile, British luggage brand Antler has extended its partnership with the Marussia Virgin Racing Formula One racing team for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. The company’s logo will be displayed on the nosecone of the team vehicle.

Commenting on the deal, Antler’s chief executive David Benjamin said he was proud to be backing Marussia Virgin Racing. “Just like Formula One cars, Antler luggage is technically advanced and designed for responsive handling and outstanding functionality, as well as having exceptional style and presence. This is why we believe Marussia Virgin Racing to be an ideal partner to mirror our qualities and values.”

In soccer news, the Premier League club Aston Villa has signed a deal with Japanese mobile content provider CWS Brains to promote its brand to Asians fans. The deal involves team news, ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers and video clips supplied to mobile devices as well as an additional WAP site set up for supplementary content.

"We remain as committed as ever to building Aston Villa's fan base internationally as well as locally,” said Aston Villa marketing person Russell Jones. Thanks to the reach of the Premier League, our supporter club network, new sponsors Genting and our participation in the Barclays Asia Trophy, we have seen a very rapid and recent growth in our Asian fan base.”

The seven-time English champions have added to their sponsorship roster recently with the addition of a two-year deal with the hospitality group Genting. The deal is worth an estimated USD25 million.

Genting operates some 40 casinos throughout the UK and is part of the the Genting Group, a large Malaysian corporation with operations in leisure and hospitality, power generation, oil palm plantations, property development, retail., biotechnology and the oil and gas sectors.

Aston Villa also finalized a deal with EA Sports.

The first week of the month rounds off with a run of media deals announced in India.

ESPN Star Sports will broadcast the Lanco Super Series their. The beefed-up hockey tournament – with rule changes and a new format – aims to speed up the game. The tournament includes men’s teams from Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and India as well as women’s teams from Australia, India and Malaysia.

The Lanco Super Series is owned and operated by Hockey Australia and will be held in Perth. The Indian sports marketing agency Commune has been taken on to help promote the event in India.
Hockey Australia chief executive Mark Anderson said the popularity of hockey is second only to cricket in India and he’s satisfied an agreement could be reached for coverage in that country.

“The fact that all matches will be shown live back into India will allow all of those passionate Indian
fans to enjoy a format that should suit the Indian teams,” said Anderson.
“We are very pleased to work along with Hockey Australia and Commune to bring key matches of this event live on our networks in the Indian subcontinent,” said Aloke Malik, managing director, ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd.

The I-League has signed deals for regional and national broadcasts of its games.
India’s top soccer competition has agreed to a national broadcast arrangement with Ten Sports. The network will show 75 league games on its Ten Action+ channel.

A media deal was announced between the I-League and Brand Value Communications to air regional broadcasts of league matches in West Bengal and Assam.

The current I-League season, its fifth, kicks off on the 21st of October.

Exciting times for sports fans in India.

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