?️ Top Industry News

NBA China Gets Fit with Les Mills Partnership
The deal will see the implementation of basketball-based gym classes jointly developed by coaches from Les Mills and NBA FIT. Aerobic fitness and basketball skills are key components of the classes, which will be available online and offline through fitness clubs and NBA basketball parks around China. Read more on SportBusiness (English) and ifeng (Chinese)

? Mailman Take: China’s State Council recently announced a new nation-wide fitness policy. When the State Council introduces a new policy, it’s smart to align your strategy to support it. The NBA is taking a strong step towards being the go-to organisation to attract a new audience of Chinese fitness fans.

COVID-19 Countermeasures Announced for Beijing 2022

Only fans living in Mainland China will be eligible to attend the upcoming Winter Olympics. Policies regarding spectators, quarantine, and closed loop management were also introduced. All policies were mutual decisions of the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and the International Olympic Committee. Read more on SCMP (English) and CCTV.com (Chinese)

? Mailman Take: An important moment for Beijing to be able to welcome fans into venues, following a Summer Olympics of empty stadiums. Given China’s strict COVID-19 policy, we can expect extremely stringent measures on the ground throughout the Winter Olympics.

UFC China Roadshow Kicks Off in Suzhou

Alongside partners Migu and China Mobile, UFC entertained 2K+ fans with UFC-themed interactive booths, a Migu VR experience, and competitive fitness challenges. UFC will be bringing its UFC | China Mobile Migu Fan Experience Tour to three more cities this year, with the next stop due for the end of October. Read more on NetEase (Chinese)

CBA League Set for Reduced Season
The top-tier of Chinese basketball is finally set to tip-off on October 16, shortly after the national Golden Week holiday. Due to China’s national team qualifiers taking place throughout the season, the CBA’s (Chinese Basketball Association) season has been reduced from 56 rounds to 38. Read more on China.org (English) and Beijing Youth (Chinese)

China Faces Olympics Ice Hockey Exclusion

Despite being hosts, China is in danger of not taking part because of their insufficient sporting standard. “This question really arises for the men’s team, not for the women’s team,” Luc Tardif, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) told the AFP. “There are going to be games for the China team that will be overseen by an IIHF official and a decision will be made afterwards.” Read more on Yahoo! (English)

NBA 3X3 Nationals Culminate in Shanghai
Located at the renowned West Bund area in Shanghai, the NBA 3X3 concluded its journey to the national finals, having travelled through nine cities in three months. Broadcast partner Tencent Video provided exclusive live coverage of games, and also broadcasted the entire two-day Shanghai finals, alongside CCTV.com. Read more on Chinanews Shanghai (Chinese)

? Mailman Take: The Shanghai West Bund Dome Art Center provided a fitting venue to house the finals. Congratulations to Changzhou Kaida for securing the national championships!

Peak Sports Lands $232M in Fundraising
The Chinese sportswear company said proceeds will mainly be used for research and development, brand building, channel development, and product upgrades. Peak Sport will also open 800 to 1K new stores in first and second-tier cities and 1K to third and fourth-tier cities in the next three years. Read more on Yicai (English) and Jiemian (Chinese)

? Esports

China Bans PUBG Esports
One of the biggest consequences of the ban is that the PUBG Champions League, which is the franchised league in China and one of the biggest in the world, won’t be able to start. Read more on esports.com (English) and 21Jingji (Chinese)

?️ Other News

Cartoons and Children’s Shows Next In Line for Backlash
Authorities have turned their crackdown on the entertainment industry to shows aimed at the younger generations. The National Radio and Television Administration, the country’s broadcasting authority, announced it would ban cartoons and other TV shows primarily produced for children that contain any mention of violence, blood, vulgarity or pornography. Read more on CNN (English) and China.org.cn (Chinese)