Infront China and CCTV Sports Promotion form partnership to support China basketball
National Chinese sports broadcaster CCTV-5 to cover 17 Team China Games in May and June 2009
Both teams will play a series of warm-up games – the men in preparation for the FIBA Asian Championship from 6-16 August in Tianjin City (CHN) and the women in preparation for the women’s event from 21 - 28 June in Taipei (TPE).
During May and June, there will be eight games for the men’s national team and nine games for the women’s national team. The CBA has invited some strong opposition, from the USA, Lithuania, Australia, Canada, and Cuba. Thanks to the new partnership with CCTV-5, there will be 17 top-class international basketball matches for China’s fans to enjoy on national public television. More games will be organised for the men’s team during July and August.
Helping the domestic sport
Infront China has been the exclusive marketing partner of the CBA and Team China since early 2006. Its technical assistance programmes and marketing plans have helped make basketball the top team sport in China, attracting the most television coverage of any domestic sport and helping to ensure a consistently high standard of performance in international competitions. The new agreement with CCTV is a very major step forward, helping to put a domestic – as opposed to imported – sport in a strong position in the ratings and adding significantly to the return for the sponsors who support Team China.
Ma Guoli, Managing Director & CEO of Infront China, said: “This is an important development and a considerable achievement in the context of our long term commitment to Chinese basketball. Infront China and CCTVSP will gain more audience attention and public support and the sport will attract more sponsors as a result. We look forward to many more wonderful basketball games in the future.”
Jiang Heping, the Chairman of CCTVSP, said: “We see it as our responsibility to support China’s basketball teams. CCTVSP will provide our best resources and I believe that this strategic partnership will benefit all parties.”
China – a powerful basketball nation
China is a powerful basketball nation. The Men’s team took gold in the last Asian Games and reached the quarter-finals at the 2008 Beijing Games, having fought its way through the most difficult group in the Olympic basketball tournament. It has been Asian champion 14 times, winning more gold medals than any other team in the history of this event.
The Women’s team also took gold at the last Asian Games and is ranked as one of the best teams in the world. In the recent Olympics, it triumphed over Spain, Czechoslovakia, Russia and Australia, reaching the semi finals. It has won the Asian champion title nine times.
About CCTV–5 and CCTVSP
As the state-owned network specialising in sport, CCTV-5 has contributed much to the development of indigenous Chinese sport. CCTV Sports Promotion Limited Corporation (CCTVSP), the commercial subsidiary of CCTV-5, is the base for this achievement. Serving as the marketing arm of CCTV Sports Programme Centre, it caters to different demands, with its services ranging from producing sports programmes and promoting and broadcasting sports events to purchasing the broadcasting rights of matches, both national and international.
CCTVSP has broadcast over 1,400 different events, in table tennis, badminton, volleyball, bowling, basketball, women’s soccer, tennis, billiard and boxing since 1996. As China’s sporting environment changes and reforms, CCTVSP is putting the emphasis on television programming and marketing, with plans to screen more attractive sport events to enrich the television offering. It has a professional approach, works with the best talent and plans to become the production base for the CCTV sports channel, in order better serve and develop the sports market.
Infront China and the CBA
Infront China is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infront Sports & Media. It has moved rapidly to become the leading sports marketing organisation in China. Infront is the exclusive commercial partner to the Chinese Basketball Association. It is undertaking a major, long-term marketing of the CBA Professional League through a joint venture and is also the exclusive global marketing partner for China’s national basketball teams. The agreement with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) covers all key aspects of not just the marketing but the technical development of the Chinese national teams. Infront China has an office in Beijing with around 50 staff, offering a powerful combination of international expertise and local market knowledge.
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
Jenna Li
Communication Manager
Infront Sports & Media (China) Co., Ltd.
Tel. +86-10-88 89 08 10
Fax +86-10-88 89 08 08
jenna.li infrontasia.com
www.infrontasia.com
