Asian Sports Business Round Up 28th September 2012

Sailing news was the focus last week along with motorsports and media deals.


The British alcoholic beverages firm Diageo will be sending out its grand yacht – John Walker & Sons Voyager – on a cruise across the Asia-Pacific region as a marketing initiative to salute luxury consumers.
Company representative James Thompson says the idea is to celebrate the more progressive individuals in the region and as a platform to launch the company’s latest product: John Walker & Sons Odyssey.
The vessel will be setting sail from Shanghai and will land at nine ports of call in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and India. The Voyager will set the scene for gala parties and get togethers at each location.
The idea for the six-month trip was inspired by the original trade routes pioneered when the Walker family whiskies left the corner store in Scotland and were distributed around the world.
Asia is a major growth region for the company. Headquartered in London, Diageo is the world’s largest producer of spirits and a large manufacturer of beer and wine.
Sailing’s growing popularity in China has encouraged the maritime lifestyle brand Marinepool to
become official clothing supplier to the Chinese offshore sailor Guo Chuan.
The intrepid adventurer will attempt to set a solo, non-stop circumnavigation record aboard a Class 40 vessel named Qingdao. Guo Chuan has spent the last two years training in France and will start his journey on November 4, 2012. After passing the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa, he will sail through Malacca Straits in a 21,600 nautical mile journey planned to last 125 days.

In more sailing news, the Spanish footwear company Camper will become the official footwear supplier to the Japanese Melges 32 Team. Camper is also partnered with Emirates Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup competition. The Melges 32 World Championships were held in Newport, Rhode Island.

In motorsport news, the Singapore government says it will continue hosting the F1 Grand Prix until 2017 but efforts will be made to cut costs. The race has been profitable for the Lion City over the last four years attracting more than 150,000 visitors and generating about $150 million in tourism receipts each year. But the race costs about $150 million to operate and the government pays about 60% of this.
In media deals, the Singapore branch of IMG Sports Media has signed a TV production and rights distribution deal with Tourism Brunei for this year’s BHC Tour of Brunei. Five half-hour programmes will air on ESPN Star Sports across Asia in late October.
Pay-TV operator Singtel has acquired rights to show the Uefa Champions League and the Uefa Europa League for the next three seasons in Singapore.
Indian mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion Super Fight League (SFL) has signed a long-term broadcasting partnership with Nimbus Communications Limited's Neo Prime television channel.
According to Indiantelevision.com, the dedicated sports channel will televise the SFL's Friday Fight Nights, which begin 12th October and will run on a weekly basis. Friday Fight Nights will also air on YouTube.

www.sportsfestivalasia.com

Asian Sports Business Round Up 21st September 2012

Last week’s roundup  features sponsorship and marketing developments in golf, marathon running, soccer and football. There was news from the International Olympics Committee as well as the usual round of media deals.


The Swiss banking giant UBS will be the title sponsor of the Hong Kong Open for the eighth year running. The event, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour, takes place November 15-18 at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Sheung Shui, New Territories.
UBS is headquartered in Basel and Zurich. It operates in more than 50 countries and has about 65,000 employees.

The technology consultancy Wipro will be the first title sponsor of the inaugural Chennai Marathon. Some 5,000 runners are expected to take part in the event set for December 2nd. Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Wipro also sponsors the San Francisco Marathon.

In soccer news, the leading Japanese engineering firm Yanmar has signed a three-year deal with Manchester United. A representative for the team says he hopes the move will increase its profile in Japan.

Tiger Street Football is coming to Vietnam. The brewery has launched the ‘Ultimate Battle’ with some 900 teams across the country competing for top place. The matches are being held from 25 August to 28 September. The qualifying rounds will be played in Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

Sports apparel maker Nike will take over from the Japanese firm Mizuno as official apparel supplier to the International Olympics Committee. The contract to supply apparel to IOC members and staff lasts until 2016.
The move was made to avoid possible conflict of interest on Mizuno’s part. The company was recently announced as the fifth sponsor of Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympics Games. The Japanese capital is one of three cities bidding for the 2020 Games.

Media deals closed off the week. US broadcaster One World Sports announced a multi-year extension with the Chinese Basketball Association. The contract will include the broadcasting across North America of at least 40 games from the upcoming season as well as the league’s all-star game with the play-offs and finals. The deal was brokered by the CBA’s global marketing partner Infront Sports & Media.
Singapore’s Mio TV has signed a deal to broadcast an assortment of live soccer from Europe. Games will include the FA Cup, Serie A from Italy, France’s Ligue 1 and the England national team home games. Coverage will also include Italian national team games and matches from England’s secondary cup competition, the Capital One Cup.
"As we did with the Community Shield, we worked hard to acquire football content for the fans who have been waiting anxiously for news about the important European tournaments," said Goh Seow Eng, SingTel's managing director for television. Mio TV is part of the SingTel operating system.
The rights were sold to Mio TV by the MP & Silva agency.

www.sportsfestivalasia.com

Asian Sports Business Round Up 14th September 2012

The second week in September featured sponsorship news in squash, cricket and soccer. There were developments in the Adidas campaign in China, news of a hard market in the European sports apparel industry and a media deal in North Korea.


Malaysian financial group, CIMB Investment Bank has signed a personal endorsement deal with Nafiizwan Adnan, the world's number 33-ranked squash player. Adnan will display the bank’s logo on his jersey in all competitions. CIMB has backed other top squash players such as women's number one Nicol David, and Malaysian men's national champion Ong Beng Hee.
A soccer tournament in that country has taken on the Naza Group as sponsor. Malaysia’s largest privately-owned conglomerate will contribute USD$97,000 to help stage the Sultan of Selangor Cup.
The event  – held at the Selangor FA's 80,000-capacity Shah Alam Stadium on 29th September – is an annual match contested by the states of Singapore and Selangor.
The Naza Group of Companies is associated with car franchises, property development and food and beverage. The firm is based in Kuala Lumpur.

Youth cricket in Nepal got a boost in a sponsorship deal with a regional company, CG Foods. The Nepal-based firm will commit USD $237,000 to organize the National U-19 Tournament for boys and girls as well as hosting regional tournaments and cash prizes. The noodle brand has supported regional cricket since 2005.

Nike will replace the Chinese firm Li Ning as official team kit supplier for Spain’s national basketball teams. The news comes after Li Ning’s licensed distributor in Spain, LN Plus Iberoamericas filed for bankruptcy in the midst of the euro crisis gripping that country.
Li Ning is a going concern in Spain. The company has deals with the soccer teams Real Zaragosa, Celta Vigo and Las Palmas.
The Nike deal begins in January, 2013. “…through this agreement we will provide the very best in product innovation,” said Marcos Garzo, Nike Iberia general manager.

Meanwhile, Nike rival Adidas is setting up the latest part of its Chinese promotion campaign. The company will be sending out its mobile application that will allow customers to interact with the company’s NEO ‘Live Your Style’ TVC.

The commercial will begin airing in some 200 cities later this month while adidas NEO Label stores will provide in-store mobile app trials across Beijing.

The organizing committee for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games has taken on Japanese sports apparel maker Mizuno as its fifth partner. Other partners in Japan’s bid for the Games include Asics, Descente, JTB and Kinki Nippon Tourist.
Tokyo 2020 announced the agreement on September 7, exactly one year before the International Olympic Committee decides ion whether Tokyo, Istanbul or Madrid will host the 2020 Games.

The week ended off with a media deal between the Bundesliga and the North Korean national broadcaster KCTV. The German edition of the Wall Street Journal reports that the network acquired the weekly rights to broadcast one league game.
North Korean striker Jong Tae-Se was transferred to Bundesliga club FC Köln last January.

www.sportsfestivalasia.com

Asian Sports Business Round Up 7th September 2012

As the paralympics continues in it's highest profile yet, sports business in Asia focued on marketing initiatives, motor sports, golf, basketball and a media deal.


Sports apparel giant Adidas has targeted China in its first TV campaign promoting its NEO youth label.
The TVC, themed ‘Live Your Style’, starts airing in 200 Chinese cities in mid-September. Adidas rep Simon Millar says this shows the importance the company places on the Chinese market.
"At the same time, we hope that this brand's youthful attitude and DNA blends into young people's lives in a natural way, allowing them to live their style."
The campaign will include a downloaded mobile app that customers can use to snap a picture of the QR codes in the TVC for a chance to win prizes.

Maybank is getting into the motorsport scene. A one-year deal with the 2012 Malaysian MotoGP will give the bank plenty of trackside presence with VIP and corporate hospitality areas. The financial institution will help out with ticket sales.
A Maybank official says the arrangement will allow both partners to expand their reach while promoting Malaysia as an international sporting destination. The 2012 Malaysian MotoGP gets underway at the Sepang International Circuit on October 21st.

The Chinese Basketball Association has extended its contract with Infront Sports and Media for another five years. The agency will continue in its role as commercial partner handling development, sponsorship sales and media rights.
An Infront statement says that since the first contract was signed in 2005, league sponsors have tripled with brand names such as Nike, UPS and Tissot and audiences have increased by 130%. Priorities for the new contract will include a focus on digital media and television as well as raising the global appeal of the CBA League.

Infront's Chinese basketball activity also includes an agreement with the national team, Team China Basketball, which has seven years left to run.
Infront Sports and Media has more than 500 employees in some 10 countries and is based in Zug, Switzerland.

In golf news, the Venetian Macau Open has selected Fast Track as the PR and media relations agency for the event.
Fast Track is associated with CSM, the sports marketing division of Chime Communications plc. Recent additions to Fast Track's Asia's client base include the food redistribution charity Second Harvest and the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

A media deal rounded out the week. The Thai company GMM Grammy acquired the rights to eight European soccer club channels. The teams include Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea from the Premier League as well as AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and the Real Madrid and Barcelona networks from Spain.
GMM will broadcast selected live games and club programming on its own suite of channels, including GMM Z Sport One.
GMM is expected to bid for the live Thai rights to the Premier League in the coming weeks.

www.sportsfestivalasia.com