Preview of China Basketball Summit 2015

Basketball collects most market shares in China only second to the most popular sport, football, In sports industry, and has engaged with even larger population than football in the country.  However, it has not been plain sailing for Chinese basketball to become an industry with more professionalism, considering the unprofessional league system, imperfection of player training alongside delayed development of grassroots and campus basketball mechanism. For example, only one player was selected because of general unexpected skills despite that CBA adopts draft system this season.

In the 2015 season, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the top tier basketball league in the country, has struggled to deal with the issues regarding the contractual disputes between CBA clubs and players Guo Ailun and Heng Yifeng, which, plus a similar case of Wu Guanxi last year,  would in return hinder the development of basketball industry in China. Despite so, however, China basketball industry has well progressed over the last few years, demonstrated by increasing number of stadiums or growing mass sports engagement which will eventually boost the industry in general.

At this very point, China basketball is awarded a valuable opportunity to host the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in 8 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Nanjing, Soochow, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan and Shenzhen. It marks another global major sports event to be held in the country alongside 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2022 Winter Olympics with a variety of top basketball players from 32 countries contesting for the trophy, allowing Chinese people to enjoy the top basketball in their homeland for the first time. In addition, Guangzhou is also awarded the right to hold the 2016 3x3 World Championships, which will definitely boost the sport in general as well as grassroots clubs and facilities construction in China.

When it comes to youth basketball, the landscape of sport on Chinese campus can’t be ignored. As a top campus basketball organization, Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA) has developed rapidly in recent years with improvements in events operation, engagement or players’ skills, etc. With the help from various media platforms, including television, broadcasting, websites, and new media, grassroots matches have been greatly exposed to the audience. As a result, some players like Feng Hanpu and Cheng Tianbao are even nicknamed as CUBA Lady Killer on social media. In other words, CUBA now is a league really catches buzz on social networks in the country.

Additionally, CBA has made a step forward by introducing a draft system for the first time in this season, allowing the CUBA to turn into a basketball talent pool for the top division basketball league. As a great supplement to Chinese youth training system for future professional players, the systematic change is likely to empower Chinese basketball with new forces at a point when its nationwide system is understood to gradually down into an end. However, we also have to realize that only one Chinese player, Fang Junlei, was picked out during the draft this year. Therefore, there’s still a long way to go from talent cultivation under nationwide system to socialized talent selection. In this way, patience is what we truly needed.

Now it’s the best time in history for us to see a moment when China could take a leap in basketball with the boosts from supportive policies, growing sports industry and more mature media which contribute to massive exposure. It is foreseeable that Chinese basketball industry will see more professionals joining in and more capital being injected.

In this way, China Basketball Summit is looking forward to future of Chinese basketball with you!

About Chinese Basketball Summit 2015

After Beijing’s successful bid for the rights to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, China was awarded the rights to host 2019 FIBA World Cup after defeating Philippines in Aug.7, 2015. The good news makes the whole country in jubilant.  At the same time, General Administration of Sport of China deepened the reform of sports management system in respond to the reform plan made by the State Council. Chinese Basketball Summit 2015 is launched under this condition.

China Basketball Summit 2015, organized by Pioneer Sports, will be held in Shanghai from December 10 to 11. The summit will be a combination of Chinese basketball professionals with marketers and experts from America, Europe and other parts of the world. The summit will also serves as a perfect platform for those professionals and experts to tap the tremendous business opportunities whin the industry and exchange views on the commercial operation of professional clubs, youth basketball training and other issues that need to be addressed urgently in current Chinese basketball market with the aims to improve disadvantages of Chinese basketball and realize a leap-forward.

Pioneer Sports is committed to build a long-term professional platform for the exchange between Chinese basketball and international basketball and at the same time, provide consulting service and expertise for clubs and public institutions on basketball-related strategy, organizing, operation and technology. Saipao 360, an online ticket-selling company, and Yutang Sports, a premium sports marketing company in China, will serve as the co-organizer of the summit to provide their great support.

As a member of the organizing party for the China Basketball Summit 2015, Yutang Sports will provide you with forward-looking reports around the summit on a weekly regular basis. Yutang will also bring you the most compelling topics and cutting-edge insights from the front as well some exclusive interviews with distinguished guests!  

Distinguished Guests

Eric Cuthbertson

Vice President of Operations

Eric Cuthbertson was hired by AEG China in March of 2010 as a consultant on the Shanghai World Expo Culture Center (later named Mercedes-Benz Arena) and was eventually named Vice President of Operations. He oversees the adaptation of international facility management best practices that align to local Chinese customs and traditions. Cuthbertson was the interim GM of the Zhongsheng Center, Dalian, PRC, for the grand opening the 18,000 seat arena.

Cuthbertson is responsible for all aspects of facility training and implementation of industry standards and procedures in each market where AEG China has been hired as a consultant or managing partner. In addition, Cuthbertson is very active in senior management recruitment and ex-patriot orientation. Cuthbertson provides the practical and operational management expertise on all of AEG China’s design management consultation projects.

Han Lifeng

Han Lifeng, currently serves as General Manager of Bloomage International (Beijing) Wukesong Arena Management Co., Ltd .He manage the group of   venues including MasterCard Center, Huiyuan space, Hi-Park , Wukesong Cultural&Sports Plaza.

Han Lifeng is a domestic specialist in the sports and cultural venues’ commercialized operation. The MasterCard Center which led by him has the profitability of the strongest and highest space-utilization. He spearheaded the creation of five-into-one service system, venue security procedures, which provides a textbook-class theory for commercial venues operation mode.

Tom McCarthy

Chairman

Beijing International Group (BIG)

BIG Lifestyle Development Limited (BLDL)

Positive image limited (PIL)

McCarthy has served Asia & China in the fields of sports, education, corporate consultancy & services, and lifestyle development since 1987. Prior to creating the present group of companies, his wide experience as a former global corporate basketball marketing senior executive, multi-level coach, & player, contributed to providing him a unique perspective into global basketball development. In China, McCarthy has participated for over 20 years in every area and level of basketball from event organizer, coach/player clinician & author, university lecturer, Olympic consultant, and philanthropist working with 4 national sports associations as well as creating a unique pyramid (local-international) model for sport development, and implementing cutting edge corporate/client care programs to maximize sports rights & benefits.

Zheng Wen

Mr. Zheng Wen has worked as President for InfrontChina,Managing Director Greater China for Octagon and Marketing & LicensingManager for IMG U.S. H/Q. Mr. Zheng is the first Chinese heading the China business for major international sports marketing companies. Mr. Zheng is one of the senior executives in the sports marketing area, who has combined 20 years working experience, international perspective, overseas and local management expertise as well as the insights in the New Economy.

Shoto ZHU, Founder and CEO, OCEANS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT INC

Working in sports industry at his 18th year, Shoto ZHU has become one of the key opinion leaders in sport marketing in Asia. After providing his services to the J.League, FIFA Marketing, Dentsu Sports and China Football Association in the early years, Shoto founded the company OCEANS Sports & Entertainment Inc which then grow into a key market player in the Chinese booming sport industry in recent years. Listed in Chinese Stock Exchange Market at Jan 2014, OCEANS is now providing its services to Federations, Clubs, Brands and Media companies for sport management, sponsorship consultancy and media rights acquisition/sales, as well as investing in growing sport properties all over Asia.