Zug, Switzerland / Beijing, PR China, 20 October 2006 – Infront Sports & Media and the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) have signed a ground-breaking sponsorship agreement with China Mobile Communications Corporation (China Mobile/CMCC) for basketball in China. This is the most comprehensive sponsorship deal ever agreed for the CBA and also the single largest sponsorship agreement announced thus far by Infront.

China Mobile is to become the Main Sponsor of “Team China”, China’s national basketball team at a key time in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It also becomes an Official Partner of the CBA League, securing significant exclusivity and huge impact in one of China’s most popular sports. Basketball in China is growing strongly and has a tremendous fan base – a factor which appeals strongly to China Mobile, which has the largest number of subscribers in the world.

 

National Team and CBA League
The agreement focuses on the men’s national team and the men’s professional league and runs to the end of 2008. Expectations are high for the performance of the men’s team in the Olympics and the league is co-operating by reducing this year’s league schedule by three weeks, to allow the national team to focus heavily on training games and individual player development. This national spirit of co-operation centred on ensuring the long-term success of the sport in China is mirrored in the all-embracing commercial agreement with China Mobile.

 

The new agreement covers both sponsorship and content rights for both the national team and the CBA League. China Mobile and Infront will develop exciting new media products for fans, including near-live video clips, player blogs and games. China Mobile will also be undertaking marketing and promotional activities in the run up to the 2008 Olympics.

 

With the title of “Strategic Partner of the CBA”, China Mobile is not only the Main Sponsor of Team China but also an Official Partner for CBA professional league. Among the specific benefits of this premium package offers are an inventory of rotating board advertising and shirt space and use of official CBA marks.

 

“No limit basketball”
China Mobile has supported the development of Chinese sport over many years and is also a “Top sponsor of BOCOG”, giving it a direct involvement in the Beijing Olympic Games. The company believes that enjoying basketball should not be limited to those in the stadium. Through a new mobile service – “No limit basketball” - fans will have access to basketball on their mobile phones and will be able to share the latest news, results and inside information.

 

In addition, China Mobile will also sponsor grassroots basketball activities, to ensure the long-term future of the sport in China. These will include provision of basketball equipment in rural areas, organising basketball summer camps and training camps and face-to-face contact between fans and players.

 

Mr. Li Yuanwei, Executive Vice President of the CBA, said: “I very strongly believe that our partnership with China Mobile will be a key turning point in expanding the channels of communication for basketball in China. We are also very pleased that this landmark agreement secured by our partner Infront encompasses both the national team and the League, because we need to consider the sport as a whole.”

 

“With the support of China Mobile, we have gained a considerable boost of confidence from one of China’s top consumer brands in the marketing of Chinese basketball. Their recognition of the CBA’s potential as a strong sponsorship platform is a strong endorsement of the successful advancements that the CBA is experiencing,” said Paul Wong, General Manager of Infront China.

 

“Our main objective in the co-operation with the CBA is to move forward the development of basketball in China,” said Mr. Lu Wenchang, Vice Director of the Marketing Department of China Mobile, “In its desire to be a good corporate citizen, China Mobile is willing to contribute towards increasing the popularity of basketball in China and the level of competition”.

 

About China Mobile
China Mobile is the largest mobile telephone operator in China, providing mobile voice and data telecommunications and related services to all provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in the mainland of China, as well as being a mobile telecommunications service provider in Hong Kong. In mid 2006, China Mobile had a total subscriber base of more than 260 million, the largest worldwide.

For further information, please contact:

Jörg Polzer
Manager, Communication & PR
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com