Main sponsor ANTA will benefit from comprehensive exposure and TV coverage across China

Zug, Switzerland/Guangzhou, China, 12 December 2011 – In a joint press conference held today in Guangzhou the CBA and its exclusive marketing partner Infront Sports & Media announced that the 2012 CBA All-Star Weekend will take place on 18 and 19 February at the International Sports Arena in Guangzhou, China. The CBA All-Star Game is one of the highlights of the CBA League season and brings together the very best of Chinese basketball talent to play a one off exhibition game. The fans themselves will select their favourite squads in the Official Online Ballot which will be launched on 19 December 2011.

Millions of votes expected for online ballot
Fans can participate in the online ballot from next Monday onwards by visiting the official CBA website cbachina.sports.sohu.com. The list of 95 nominated players was also announced today and includes top stars from China such as Wang Zhizhi, Wang Shipeng and Baatar, as well as top foreign players such as Aaron Brooks, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin. All 17 clubs competing in the CBA League season are represented on the list by at least one player. The 2011 CBA Online Ballot received 4.5 million votes – even higher participation is expected this year due to the growing appeal of the CBA League.

The CBA All-Star Game will see the selected players compete in a North versus South game. The Guangzhou International Sports Arena was the official basketball venue of last year’s Asian Games and holds a capacity of 18,000 people. To warm up the fans and offer a platform to young CBA players, the traditional Rookie Games will once again be played the day before the main event at the same venue.

Infront secures ANTA as main sponsor
The eagerly expected CBA All-Star weekend is part of the CBA League season, which started in November 2011 and concludes with the play-offs at the end of February. The event is organised by Guangzhou Goldstar Culture Develop and promoted by Infront - now in their seventh season of successful partnership with the CBA League.

Infront has already secured ANTA as official main sponsor of the event. The international sports apparel manufacturer is based in China and will benefit from the CBA All-Star game’s high popularity across the entire country. In 2011, the event achieved a record cumulative audience of 108 million over the course of the weekend. Based on the historically high TV ratings of the ongoing season, the audience figures for the 2012 CBA All-Star Game are expected to even exceed last year’s. Broadcast partners CCTV5 and GDTV are already confirmed and will transmit the very best of Chinese basketball action to fans across the country.  

About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, has grown impressively in recent years to become one of the leading international sports marketing groups in the world. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company covers all aspects of a successful sport event – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operations. As a key player in winter sport, football and other summer sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 120 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. With an experienced and passionate team of 500 staff in 20 offices across 10 countries, the Group helps to annually deliver 3,300 event days of top class sport around the world.


For further information, please contact:
 
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com
 
Jenny Yu
Associate Director, Communication
Infront Sports & Media (China) Co. Ltd.
Tel. +86-10-8889 0816
Fax +86-10-8889 0808/0809
jenny.yu infrontasia.com
www.infrontasia.com