The growing corporate sponsorship of sports in Asia is
examined by Andrew Tanzer of FORBES. Three years ago
China's state-run soccer and basketball federations hired
IMG which launched China's first organized pro sports
leagues: the Marlboro League for soccer, underwritten by
Philip Morris; and the Hilton League for basketball, named
after a B.A.T Industries cigarette brand. Nike contributed
shoes and jerseys to all 12 teams in the basketball league.
Tanzer: "Thus did sports, capitalist-style, come to this
still officially socialist land." Attendance at Marlboro
League games topped 3.2 million last year, with "more than
24,000 ticket-paying customers a game" and 100 million TV
viewers a week. New sponsors include Ford, Energizer and
Castrol. Michael Chang is endorsing products ranging from
P&G's Rejoice Shampoo and Eveready Alkaline batteries. Asia
Sport's Seamus O'Brien: "Chang is like a god in Asia. Golf
is also "developing broader appeal" thanks to Tiger Woods'
Thai heritage and Tanzer notes "seeking the mass market,
Coca-Cola is investing in sponsorship of soccer in China,
basketball in the Philippines and cricket in India and
Pakistan (FORBES, 3/10 issue).
