Chinese Super League To Become World's Largest Sports Company

Guangzhou's 21st Century Business Review said that on its 10th anniversary, the Chinese FA Super League is "poised for incorporation and may become the sports company with the largest valuation worldwide," set at $1.55B by some market insiders, according to the WANT CHINA TIMES. To "facilitate its future development, the league will be converted into a corporation," taking over control from the China FA, at present the largest shareholder with a 36% stake, according to a reform program for the association "unveiled at a meeting convened by the country's General Administration of Sport on Aug. 17." With market players speculating about potential buyers of the association's stake, worth about $561.5M, Wang Jianlin, chairman of realty giant Wanda Group and China's richest person, "has emerged as the frontrunner" (WANT CHINA TIMES, 8/25).