Zug, Switzerland / Beijing, China – As exclusive media and marketing partner of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Infront Sports & Media, a Wanda Sports company, has confirmed a new media rights agreement with the Eleven Sports Network to air CBA League and CBA All-Star games into Taiwan.
The new agreement, effective since the start of the 2016/17 season, will for the first time ever provide fans in Taiwan with live and exclusive coverage of between three to six regular season games per week plus the All-Star and post-season games. The CBA events will be shown and made available on all Eleven Sports Network platforms in order to maximise visibility and cater towards all users.
Focus on teams with players from Taiwan
The agreement started with this season’s opening game on 29 October. In the future, Eleven Sports Network will focus heavily on covering CBA teams with players from Taiwan on their roster - including teams such as the Zhejiang Lions (Lin Chih-Chieh and Liu Zheng), Shanghai Bili Bili (Tseng Wen-Ting), Fujian Sturgeons (Kevin Hu), and Beijing RCB (Yang Chin-Min).
Danny Menken, Group Managing Director of Eleven Sports Network: “Our philosophy at Eleven is to provide sports fans in each of our markets with the best locally relevant and popular content. The partnership with the CBA is a prime example of this and ensures we are the network bringing action from the best men's professional basketball league in Asia to the fans in Taiwan.”
Anne Zhao, Managing Director Infront China: “We are extremely pleased to see that the CBA events will be aired in Taiwan and bring the best professional basketball game to them, which naturally attracts more fans for the CBA. As the exclusive marketing partner, we are confident of the future and the potential of the CBA.
2016/17 CBA League from October through till April
The 2016/17 CBA League regular season tipped off at the end of October and will run until 19 February 2017 with a total of 380 matches. The playoffs follow from 24 February to 5 March 2017 and the semi-final and finals from 10 March finishing on 16 April 2017 at the latest. The CBA All-Star event is planned for 7 and 8 January 2017.
About Eleven Sports Network
Founded in 2015, ELEVEN SPORTS NETWORK is a brand new global sports network dedicated to delivering world-class international and domestic sports and lifestyle entertainment. Initial launches include multiple channels across select domestic markets with Taiwan receiving more than 2,500 hours of live coverage of premium sporting events annually, along with news, comprehensive analysis, digital content and local programming. The pay TV channels are 24/7, multiscreen, full HD and locally produced to the highest international production standards.
About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media is the most respected sports marketing company in the world, managing a comprehensive portfolio of top properties. Led by President & CEO Philippe Blatter, Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production, event operation and digital solutions – and has won a reputation for its high standards of delivery. As the number one player in winter sport and with a leading role in football, summer and endurance sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 170 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of more than 900 experienced staff working from over 35 offices across more than 15 countries, delivering 4,100 event days of top class sport around the world every year. In November 2015, Infront was integrated into Wanda Sports Holding, part of the Chinese conglomerate the Dalian Wanda Group.
About Wanda Sports Holding
Wanda Sports Holding is the world’s leading sports business entity, founded to capture the opportunities in the global sports industry and to contribute to the prosperous international sports landscape – in three key areas: 1) Spectator Sports (media & marketing business), 2) Participation Sports (active lifestyle business), 3) Services (digital, production and service business). Led by President and Vice Chairman of the Board Philippe Blatter, Wanda Sports Holding incorporates the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media, the iconic endurance brand IRONMAN, and Wanda Sports China. The headquarters are in Guangzhou, China.
