Asia
Features
Women’s golf embraces South Korean dominance as a positive force in Asia and worldwide
The LPGA once worried about the dominance of South Korean players in the women’s game. Now it embraces them as a means of driving the sport’s regional and global popularity. John Duerden finds out more.
Malaysian Football League targets comeback from challenging 2019
The Malaysian Football League had a tough 2019, which saw clubs suffering revenue shortfalls after two big commercial partners backed out of their deals. In the wake of making some significant commercial deals starting in 2020, Kevin McCullagh talks to MFL's chief commercial officer, Winnie Chan, about how the league is trying to recover.
Sun Yang’s downfall highlights China’s failure to develop individual stars
When the Court of Arbitration for Sports handed an eight-year ban to the six-time Olympic medallist Sun Yang, the Chinese sport hierarchy lost its most valuable individual star. Zhang Dan reports.
“Instead of a draw ceremony we had an emergency meeting” | ITTF chief executive Steve Dainton on the impact of coronavirus
With its biggest market at the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic, table tennis is one of the sports most affected
Coronavirus update: “Massive” Tokyo costs, Olympic qualifications to stand, Tour de France options, and more
The costs of rescheduling the Olympics next year will be "massive", Tokyo 2020 organising committee chief executive Toshiro Muto has said
Sports organisations act as coronavirus financial impact bites
Sports organisations around the world are making pay cuts and offering staff temporary contracts, among other money-saving measures, as the coronavirus shutdown squeezes cashflow
IOC ‘targeting’ July-August 2021 window for Tokyo’s Olympics
The International Olympic Committee is working with sports bodies to secure a July-August 2021 slot for this year’s rescheduled summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to John Coates, chair of t…
Coronavirus update: LaLiga runs music festival, ONE fights on, AFL pay dispute, and more
Spanish football's LaLiga is running an online global music concert to raise funds for the fight against the coronavirus pandemic
Formula 1 could have up to seven different regional betting sponsors, says ISG
Digital advertising technology could allow Formula 1 to have up to seven different regional betting sponsors, according to the sport’s global data and betting rights partner Interregional Sports Group.
CFA regulations create casualties on Chinese football clubs’ hard road to sustainability
The Chinese Football Association’s tough line on football club finances has cooled spending at the top level and is pushing lower-tier teams toward oblivion. Chen Yaolin reports.
Navigating the payments minefield is crucial for Asian OTT services
The English Premier League’s plans for an OTT service are focused on the Asian market, but the sheer variation in market conditions means existing OTT broadcasters are still figuring their way in the region.
B.League helps basketball bounce back in Japan
Kevin McCullagh looks at the growth of the B. League, Japan's domestic basketball league, and considers whether it might be the country's biggest sports expansion of the Reiwa era.
Can Chinese viewership help the Tour de Langkawi to fiscal health?
Malaysia’s UCI-certified Tour de Langkawi has long struggled with raising enough revenue to cover costs, but a path to break even may lie through China. SportBusiness’ Asia editor Kelvin Tan reports.
With infrastructure and administrative support, Malaysia’s first rugby stadium could unlock the sport’s commercial potential
Rugby has a surprisingly large cachet in Malaysia, but the sport’s commercial potential has always been limited by the lack of a home. John Duerden investigates how that could change with the construction of the country’s first rugby-specific stadium.
“We will not accept putting our content behind a paywall” | Jamie Lewin, Riot Games
Media rights are the fastest-growing revenue stream in esports – particularly in Asia – but, according to Riot Games’ head of strategic partnerships Jamie Lewin, they’re still a secondary target for game publishers. Kelvin Tan reports.
Asian interest in Superbowl LIV dulled by bad timing and lack of local stars
Beyond Australia, the Superbowl evokes little interest with Asian sport fans, due to scheduling and a lack of local stars plying their trade in the NFL. Can short form content and clips help? John Duerden investigates.
China’s sporting riches still out of reach for NFL
The NFL’s decision to pitch its marketing to Chinese sports fans in lifestyle terms doesn’t seem to be working yet, according to Chen Yaolin.
Minamino signing helps Liverpool on long road to catch United in Asia
Signing Japanese international Takumi Minamino will be a boon for Liverpool's commercial activity in Asia, but the club's strategy to become number one in the region goes beyond a single signing. John Duerden reports.
World Snooker Tour looks to global future with rebrand
The World Snooker Tour revealed a new corporate identity and name at the start of this year as it marked ten years of ownership by Barry Hearn's Matchroom Sport. The rebrand is intended to see it towards another decade of international growth, with China, India and the Middle East on snooker's radar.
Chinese athletes to benefit as government heads off potential for endorsement disputes in Olympic year
Regulation has limited the extent to which China’s sporting stars can capitalise on their sporting prowess via commercial deals. But recent rule changes by the General Administration of Sports offers new possibilities. Chen Yaolin investigates.
Malaysian FA pushes club privatisation but weak revenues mean state support is here to stay
Malaysia’s football clubs are to be formally privatised this year, but the journey from state support to self-sufficiency looks fraught, with questions over the future of broadcasting and sponsorship revenues. John Duerden takes a closer look.
Tax exemptions and increased demand drive 16-per-cent growth of Chinese winter sports economy
China’s winter sport industry is booming ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. But the pace of development has created challenges for the Chinese state, from environmental and real estate policy to a lack of technical nous.
Unsuccessful initial tender raises questions over K-League’s domestic media strategy
Pooling media rights to Korea’s K-League with national-team matches was supposed to create a property more valuable than the sum of its parts. John Duerden investigates why it isn’t working yet.
A 2021 Club World Cup can deliver on both Chinese and Fifa ambitions
Why Fifa has chosen to host the 2021 Club World Cup in China, and how the competition is a step forward towards China's football ambitions. Zhang Dan reports.
Tokyo 2020’s promise to be “the most innovative” Olympics in history takes shape
In the third of a trilogy of interviews with the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, SportBusiness speaks to Hideyo Hirata, head of the innovation promotion office and deputy executive director of technology services.
Will 2020 mark a return to health for China’s sporting stocks?
A two-year IPO freeze has hit Chinese sport companies, with numbers down and Wanda Sports’ listing a high-profile disappointment. How did ‘IPO fever’ fade, and will things change in 2020? Chen Yaolin reports.
Wizards deploy multi-pronged strategy to develop Japanese fandom
In just a short amount of time, the Wizards have put themselves in prime position to become the NBA's most-popular team in Japan following the arrival of Rui Hachimura. Bob Williams discovers how they have done it.