The headlines from China that make their way into the sports sections of western media very often contain errors, falsehoods and sometimes just downright lies. Two rules of thumb: if it sounds too good to be true, it is; and be very, very careful with numbers. Here’s a selection of recent stories that have stretched … Continue reading Why you should take headlines from China with a sack of salt
Increasingly in the sports world, former – and even current – sports stars are taking ownership stakes in franchises. Could China be part of this growing trend?
Late on Wednesday night, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) released details of two new rules that the Chinese Super League (CSL) must follow. Both rules are significant and have immediate consequences, not just for Chinese football, but for the global transfer market. Let’s break down the what and the why of Chinese football’s latest brainwaves, before … Continue reading Breaking down Chinese football’s latest brainwaves
Now that Sir David Beckham, the God of Branding, has officially hung up his boots, he can concentrate on the Big Problems, like world peace and buying MLS franchises. Becks returns to China next week for the second of three trips this year, as part of his ambassadorial contract with the Chinese Super League. If … Continue reading Beckham in China, Take Two
Tennis, baseball, both forms of football, badminton, athletics and mahjong all feature in this week’s wrap…
David Beckham always says all the right things to all the right people, but if he is to fulfill all his promises and obligations, he may need to start cloning himself. With soccer-related commitments in at least the UK, the US, France and China (and possibly others in Qatar in elsewhere), plus countless sponsorship obligations … Continue reading China may lose out as Beckham weighs up retirement options
I’ve already had people ask me what time David Beckham is arriving on Wednesday so they can camp out early at the airport. Whether he appeals to smitten females or potential soccer fans (or both), one thing is certain: Beckham’s visit to China will be crazy. Let’s just hope no one gets trampled…. Here’s my Sports … Continue reading Mend it like Beckham
The speculation towards the end of last year that David Beckham would end his career playing in the Chinese Super League (CSL) just didn’t make any kind of sense – either for Beckham the player or Beckham the brand. He had offers from English Premier League clubs and from clubs in continental Europe who were … Continue reading China deal makes sense for Beckham, but not for league
Well, he might be. OK, so he probably won’t be. In fact, he almost certainly will choose to play elsewhere. But that doesn’t make for a good headline, especially where the UK tabloids are concerned. The problem with the tabloids is that they have absolutely no obligation to tell the truth when it comes to … Continue reading Beckham is coming to play in China
China Sports Insider features sports business news and analysis related to China’s fast-growing sports industry. China Sports Insider was founded in 2013 by Mark Dreyer, who has worked for Sky Sports, Fox Sports, AP Sports and many others, and has covered major sporting events on five continents, including seven Olympic and Paralympic Games 2008-22. He has … Continue reading About
