BWF and Yonex seal ‘Major Events’ deal

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced Yonex as its Official Equipment Partner for BWF Major Events

Birmingham, England – Covering the TOTAL BWF World Championships, TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup and TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals, the five-year agreement starts in May with the TOTAL BWF Sudirman Cup in Gold Coast, Australia before heading to Glasgow, Scotland, for the TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 in August.

The deal, concluded by BWF’s exclusive media and marketing partner, Infront Sports & Media (a Wanda Sports company), was disclosed by BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer in a brief ceremony today on the sidelines of the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham.

“Yonex has been a pioneer in the development of badminton equipment and continues to blaze the trail in innovation and technology. Its standards and reputation as the leading badminton brand are globally respected – and perhaps even envied. It is a brand that inspires confidence in those who use it and in those with whom it partners.

“I cannot say that we are welcoming Yonex to the badminton family, as they have long been a vital part of it, but I can certainly say we are very pleased to bring them even closer to us through this important partnership,” said Høyer, thanking the Japanese company for its longstanding commitment to badminton.

“We know that key elements of our flagship tournaments will be in safe hands with Yonex and we look forward to working with Yonex as we continue to build badminton globally.”

In his speech, Yonex Chairman Ben Yoneyama thanked BWF for its vote of confidence in Yonex.

“Yonex is very thankful to have been chosen as the Official Equipment Partner between 2017 and 2021. We have worked hard to build our reputation at all levels of sport. Yonex equipment has been used in badminton for seven consecutive Summer Olympic Games, from Barcelona 1992 to the recent Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide the same high-quality products and services for the BWF Major Events,” said Yoneyama.

Furthermore, he pledged Yonex’s support for BWF’s plans to transform badminton into a major global sport.

“While this partnership focuses on Major Events, we look forward to collaborating with BWF on a wider scale to help boost the development of badminton as we move towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” added Yoneyama.

The proceedings closed with Ben Yoneyama and Høyer participating in a signing ceremony after which Ben Yoneyama presented a gift of shuttles to officials of BADMINTONscotland – hosts of the TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 – to mark the new partnership.

Comprehensive on-site services

As an Official Sponsor, Yonex will offer essential on-site racket-stringing services to all players at BWF Major Events as well as provide court mats, shuttles and nets while benefiting from long-term activation and promotional opportunities through its association with badminton’s most prominent tournaments.

“Badminton has always been a core focus for us and we are delighted to be entering a new partnership with the BWF and, in particular, with the world’s most prestigious badminton titles. These events reflect greatly our own values and aspirations and we look forward to working closely with the BWF to further enrich the world through sports,” said Yonex Director Hiroaki Ebihara.

Stephan Herth, Executive Director Summer Sports at Infront Sports & Media said that Infront was “delighted to welcome Yonex as the first sponsor of our new BWF partnership and to link them to a strong platform to reach their consumers and spread awareness of their high-quality products”.

About BWF

BWF is the international governing body of the sport of badminton, recognised by the International Olympic Committee. It is the successor organisation to the International Badminton Federation (IBF) which was founded on 5 July, 1934. The IBF was rechristened the Badminton World Federation in 2006.

The purpose and objectives of BWF include regulating, promoting, developing and popularising the sport of badminton throughout the world and organising, conducting and presenting international events at the highest level.

The BWF’s vision is to make badminton a leading global sport accessible to all – giving every child a chance to play for life. Its mission is to lead and inspire all stakeholders; to deliver entertainment through exciting events to drive fan experience, and to create innovative, impactful and sustainable development initiatives.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with 187 member associations worldwide.

Poul-Erik Høyer is the BWF President and Thomas Lund is the BWF Secretary General.

Websites: www.bwfbadminton.com and www.bwfcorporate.com.

About Yonex

Founded in 1946, Yonex stands as one of the leading manufacturers of badminton and tennis racquets. Based on the success in these two markets, Yonex has gone on to expand into other areas such as golf, cycling, snowboarding, and even wind power. Yonex has developed into the robust brand that it is today by cultivating a passion for craftsmanship based on a corporate philosophy of “contributing to the world through innovative technology and the highest quality products.” This devotion to quality lies in the fact that Yonex produces a great number of its products in its own factories based in Japan. Outfitted with cutting-edge machinery and staffed by many experienced craftsmen, Yonex’s factories ship out high quality racquets and strings to sports enthusiasts around the world.

Ben Yoneyama is Chairman and Kusaki Hayashida is President.

Website: www.yonex.com

About Infront Sports & Media

Infront Sports & Media, a Wanda Sports company, is one of the most respected sports marketing companies 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 close to 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.

Website: https://www.infront.sport/