Alisports and Oceans announce strategic partnership
The Pair of Industry Leaders to Team Up on Development of Sports and related Properties in China
Alibaba Sport Group (“Alisports”) and OCEANS Sports & Entertainment Inc. (“OCEANS”) today announced a strategic partnership to combine the two companies’ complementary resources in the development and marketing of sports in China.
Alisports, formed last September by Alibaba Group with additional investment from Sina Corporation and Yunfeng Capital, will bring to the partnership the organization’s strengths in digital media and marketing, big data, and financial services along with the world-leading Alibaba e-commerce ecosystem. OCEANS, one of the leading Chinese sports marketing agencies since its establishment in 2006 and listing on the Beijing-based NEEQ stock exchange in 2014, will contribute its deep well of experience and resources in integrated sports marketing, event organization and promotion, sponsorship development, and relevant relationships across China’s fast-growing sports industry.
Zhang Dazhong, CEO of Alisports, commented on the announcement: “We are delighted to form a partnership with OCEANS. For a decade, OCEANS has made remarkable achievements in sports property planning and management, and event organization services. Alisports hopes to take its own advantages of big data and platform system, together with OCEANS, to introduce international top sporting events to China, and to improve the domestic sports environment so that more sports fans can benefit from this booming industry. ”
Shoto Zhu, Founder and CEO of OCEANS, said: “The Alibaba culture is about making it easier for both consumers and business to prosper; and now Alisports is bringing this wonderful ecosystem to the world of sports. Meanwhile, OCEANS’ mission has been to market the excitement of sports to Chinese consumers, with the ultimate goal of benefiting both our business partners and Chinese society as a whole. By joining forces with Alisports, we have more tools and resources to do this than ever before – especially in the digital arena.”
The multi-year agreement establishes a framework for the pair of industry leaders to work together on a range of projects moving forward, including:
• Import and marketing of various international sports organizations to China; with partnership arrangements ranging from provision of specific services to full representation, rights buyout, and joint venture partnerships;
• Help domestic sports organizations grow and market themselves more effectively with world-class methodology and technology;
• Create new content, digital marketing systems, and relevant service offerings for both international and domestics sports properties and manufacturers to exploit more extensive opportunities in China’s booming sports market;
• Bring to China well-established sports education institutes and expertise in sports medicine and training, to meet the exploding domestic demand base for the sports industry management practitioners and other human resources in this arena.
One example of the initial joint projects to be launched by the strategic partnership will be promotion of the International Federation of Poker (IFP), a competitive poker format based on points, held both online and offline. The pair will also cooperate on various mass participation events, including the Dalian International Marathon, the TaiHu Changxing half marathon, and the 100 km Ultra-Marathon in Guizhou. While OCEANS will manage the on-ground event logistics and traditional marketing of these events, Ali Sports will introduce a comprehensive new digital ecosystem not only to promote the events to a wider audience, but also to improve the experience and value for the projects’ participants, audience, sponsors and business partners.
Moreover, the two sides meanwhile are in active discussions with a range of other sports properties who will best be able to utilize the advantages of Ali Sports’ and OCEANS’ respective strengths and resources, including both international and domestic federations, leagues, and teams. For example, Ali Pay will be soon be introduced to facilitate the promotion and ticket sales for a number of professional Chinese soccer clubs for which OCEANS already has the fan engagement and ticketing rights.
ABOUT Alisports:
Alibaba Sports Group is a subsidiary company of Alibaba Group, an E-commerce giant in China. Alisports is centred around IP, based on data technology, devoted to building a base platform for the international community’s sports economy with a digital marketing model. Alisports aims to maximize the value of sporting events using digital technology to transform the entire industrial chain of the traditional sports industry.
ABOUT OCEANS Sports & Entertainment:
OCEANS has become one of the leading full-service sports marketing agencies in China, having built numerous successful partnerships with both domestic and international sports associations over the past decade. With an integrated marketing approach, OCEANS builds on-air, on-line, and on-ground communication channels between brands, sporting associations, media, athletes and consumers. Principal business segments are Sponsorship Consultancy and Sports Property Management; including related services such as event organization, ticketing, sponsorship marketing, PR & marketing communications, and media rights distribution.
In addition to sports marketing services, OCEANS has secured ownership rights to a number of sports events and related properties in China. In 2015, such events included the Bayern Munich vs Guangzhou Evergrande exhibition football match, the Euroleague Basketball Asia Tour, and the WTA Guangzhou Open. OCEANS now also has the long-term promotional rights to the Dalian Marathon, Guizhou 100km ultramarathon, and Tai Lake half marathon; Sunny Sports nationwide school football tournament, Xinmin Cup grass roots football competition in Shanghai, and the ITF Junior Masters.
With five offices across China -- in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan – as well as recently opened Tokyo and Lausanne locations, OCEANS employs a dedicated, multinational team of more than 80 employees with both international and local marketing expertise. OCEANS’ distinctive corporate culture offers a competitive advantage in a dynamic sports market by combining a strong Chinese network and ownership base, along with international business practices and expertise.
In January 2014, OCEANS became the first privately owned sports marketing agency to IPO on China’s stock market (NEEQ listing number 430617); providing the company with additional funding streams for strategic expansion.
Alibaba Sport Group (“Alisports”) and OCEANS Sports & Entertainment Inc. (“OCEANS”) today announced a strategic partnership to combine the two companies’ complementary resources in the development and marketing of sports in China.
Alisports, formed last September by Alibaba Group with additional investment from Sina Corporation and Yunfeng Capital, will bring to the partnership the organization’s strengths in digital media and marketing, big data, and financial services along with the world-leading Alibaba e-commerce ecosystem. OCEANS, one of the leading Chinese sports marketing agencies since its establishment in 2006 and listing on the Beijing-based NEEQ stock exchange in 2014, will contribute its deep well of experience and resources in integrated sports marketing, event organization and promotion, sponsorship development, and relevant relationships across China’s fast-growing sports industry.
Zhang Dazhong, CEO of Alisports, commented on the announcement: “We are delighted to form a partnership with OCEANS. For a decade, OCEANS has made remarkable achievements in sports property planning and management, and event organization services. Alisports hopes to take its own advantages of big data and platform system, together with OCEANS, to introduce international top sporting events to China, and to improve the domestic sports environment so that more sports fans can benefit from this booming industry. ”
Shoto Zhu, Founder and CEO of OCEANS, said: “The Alibaba culture is about making it easier for both consumers and business to prosper; and now Alisports is bringing this wonderful ecosystem to the world of sports. Meanwhile, OCEANS’ mission has been to market the excitement of sports to Chinese consumers, with the ultimate goal of benefiting both our business partners and Chinese society as a whole. By joining forces with Alisports, we have more tools and resources to do this than ever before – especially in the digital arena.”
The multi-year agreement establishes a framework for the pair of industry leaders to work together on a range of projects moving forward, including:
• Import and marketing of various international sports organizations to China; with partnership arrangements ranging from provision of specific services to full representation, rights buyout, and joint venture partnerships;
• Help domestic sports organizations grow and market themselves more effectively with world-class methodology and technology;
• Create new content, digital marketing systems, and relevant service offerings for both international and domestics sports properties and manufacturers to exploit more extensive opportunities in China’s booming sports market;
• Bring to China well-established sports education institutes and expertise in sports medicine and training, to meet the exploding domestic demand base for the sports industry management practitioners and other human resources in this arena.
One example of the initial joint projects to be launched by the strategic partnership will be promotion of the International Federation of Poker (IFP), a competitive poker format based on points, held both online and offline. The pair will also cooperate on various mass participation events, including the Dalian International Marathon, the TaiHu Changxing half marathon, and the 100 km Ultra-Marathon in Guizhou. While OCEANS will manage the on-ground event logistics and traditional marketing of these events, Ali Sports will introduce a comprehensive new digital ecosystem not only to promote the events to a wider audience, but also to improve the experience and value for the projects’ participants, audience, sponsors and business partners.
Moreover, the two sides meanwhile are in active discussions with a range of other sports properties who will best be able to utilize the advantages of Ali Sports’ and OCEANS’ respective strengths and resources, including both international and domestic federations, leagues, and teams. For example, Ali Pay will be soon be introduced to facilitate the promotion and ticket sales for a number of professional Chinese soccer clubs for which OCEANS already has the fan engagement and ticketing rights.
ABOUT Alisports:
Alibaba Sports Group is a subsidiary company of Alibaba Group, an E-commerce giant in China. Alisports is centred around IP, based on data technology, devoted to building a base platform for the international community’s sports economy with a digital marketing model. Alisports aims to maximize the value of sporting events using digital technology to transform the entire industrial chain of the traditional sports industry.
ABOUT OCEANS Sports & Entertainment:
OCEANS has become one of the leading full-service sports marketing agencies in China, having built numerous successful partnerships with both domestic and international sports associations over the past decade. With an integrated marketing approach, OCEANS builds on-air, on-line, and on-ground communication channels between brands, sporting associations, media, athletes and consumers. Principal business segments are Sponsorship Consultancy and Sports Property Management; including related services such as event organization, ticketing, sponsorship marketing, PR & marketing communications, and media rights distribution.
In addition to sports marketing services, OCEANS has secured ownership rights to a number of sports events and related properties in China. In 2015, such events included the Bayern Munich vs Guangzhou Evergrande exhibition football match, the Euroleague Basketball Asia Tour, and the WTA Guangzhou Open. OCEANS now also has the long-term promotional rights to the Dalian Marathon, Guizhou 100km ultramarathon, and Tai Lake half marathon; Sunny Sports nationwide school football tournament, Xinmin Cup grass roots football competition in Shanghai, and the ITF Junior Masters.
With five offices across China -- in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan – as well as recently opened Tokyo and Lausanne locations, OCEANS employs a dedicated, multinational team of more than 80 employees with both international and local marketing expertise. OCEANS’ distinctive corporate culture offers a competitive advantage in a dynamic sports market by combining a strong Chinese network and ownership base, along with international business practices and expertise.
In January 2014, OCEANS became the first privately owned sports marketing agency to IPO on China’s stock market (NEEQ listing number 430617); providing the company with additional funding streams for strategic expansion.