China is "hoping to have one million rugby players in 10 years time after Alisports and World Rugby signed a historic agreement on Sunday to develop the game in the mainland," according to Chan Kin-wa of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Alisports CEO Zhang Dazhong signed the agreement with World Rugby Chair Bernard Lapasset and CEO Brett Gosper "in which the sports arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba will pump in millions of dollars into the development of the sport in China." Alisports will become "an official partner of governing body World Rugby, as well as gain broadcast rights for rugby events." It will also work together to "develop grassroots and junior programmes for Chinese players, set up a league competition and stage major international tournaments." Parent company Alibaba will "also promote World Rugby membership and merchandising" through its e-commerce platforms such as Taobao and Tmall. Gosper said that the deal was a "major breakthrough for World Rugby's attempts to spark growth in China." He said, "It's hugely significant for us, this partnership. It will rapidly accelerate development at grassroots level in China and we will help condition China to host events on our calendar and provide a pathway for their players to play in the Olympics, sevens and fifteens." Zhang, though not putting an exact figure on Alisports' investment, said that "money would not be a constraint in ensuring proper programmes are put in place." World Sevens Series sponsor HSBC, in its report released this week on the future of sevens, said that "China is among the countries using sevens in the Olympics to drive funding in the game." It said Shanghai "is targeted as a future venue for the world series" (SCMP, 4/10).
ASIAN RUGBY SURGE: The AFP reported rugby is "enjoying a surge in Asia," thanks to the upcoming 2019 World Cup in Japan, the popular 10-stop Sevens World Series and Super Rugby’s expansion to include a team from Tokyo. Rugby’s return to the Olympic program this year has also "raised the visibility of a sport which is trying to expand beyond its traditional nations and tap new markets." The prospect of a Rugby World Cup in China would "come as a surprise to most observers, as the sport currently has little participation or popularity there." But "the sky is the limit" for Chinese sporting ambitions, with a bid for the football World Cup also "hotly tipped under a push headed by none other than President Xi Jinping" (AFP, 4/10). In London, Tom Mitchell reported in "exchange for its support of the sport, Alisports will be given exclusive rugby broadcast rights for its Internet platform." Alisports was established by Alibaba in September "with minority investors including Sina and Yunfeng Capital," a private investment vehicle controlled by Alibaba Chair Jack Ma. Alibaba, the most famous of China’s "big three" Internet groups, is one of the country’s "most acquisitive companies, using its cash to snap up assets as diverse as Chinese football clubs and Hong Kong newspapers." It owns 38% of Chinese Super League side Evergrande Taobao FC, a "successful club based in the southern city of Guangzhou." Recent investments by Chinese billionaires such as Ma and Dalian Wanda Chair Wang Jianlin "have begun to change the face of international football" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/10).
MORE TO COME: The 10-year deal between Alisports and World Rugby was brokered by CSM Sport & Entertainment. The deal comes only days after the London-based agency reached an agreement with Alisports to develop sports in China. CSM CMO Tim Bampton told SBD Global that Sunday's announcement marks only the beginning of the collaboration and more deals will follow in the near future. Commercial terms of the deal between Alisports and World Rugby were not disclosed (HJ Mai, SBD Global).
