Well, not exactly, but lucky, lucky Chinese sports fans will now be able to watch the Scottish Premiership (previously known as the SPL) on PPTV, a popular Chinese online TV streaming platform. Details of the deal haven’t been released, but you have to imagine PPTV isn’t paying anything for the rights, and the SPFL isn’t in much of a state to pay to place their league on Chinese screens, so it would likely be a low risk venture on both sides: free content for PPTV and a chance to grow the brand (such as it is) for the SPFL. There must be some money in it though, since it was brokered by MP & Silva, the SPFL’s new international licensing parter. Continue reading China’s next big thing: Scottish football
Category Archives: Football
Beijingers spoilt for choice: Brazil or the Lakers?
Today is one of those rare sports days in the Chinese capital, especially given that it’s a Tuesday. For those with nothing better to do (and plenty of money), you can spend the day watching the Tour of Beijing, which finishes its fifth and final stage near the Bird’s Nest today. Then head into the stadium itself to see the Brazilian national soccer team play. Leave at half time and jump into your helicopter to head to the west of town in time to catch some of the game between the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at the Mastercard Arena.
Continue reading Beijingers spoilt for choice: Brazil or the Lakers?
Chinese President Xi Jinping is dreaming again
Xi Jinping likes his soccer. So much so, in fact, that the game put him out of action for two weeks last year while he was playing with his staff, sparking rumors of a mysterious disappearance, according to the South China Morning Post. He also likes to talk about the beautiful game: way before his “Chinese Dream” became de rigeur, he had a soccer dream – that China would first qualify for, then host, and finally win, the World Cup.
Continue reading Chinese President Xi Jinping is dreaming again
More global sports deals for Huawei
It’s been another big week for Chinese telecoms firm Huawei in the world of sports. Firstly, as previously mentioned, the company sponsored the ITU World Triathlon Grand Finale in London last weekend (and, as an aside, the ITU is the International Triathlon Union, not the International Telecommunications Union, as originally mentioned in this (now corrected, but still) shocker of a piece by Sir Simon Jenkins), meaning plenty of prominent signage for Huawei all over London’s Hyde Park.
The best own goal you will see this year
Getting to this a little late, but it’s worth a look… Chris Brass’ broken nose classic still ranks as the best own goal of all time, but this is pretty impressive. At the recent Chinese National Games, teams from Liaoning and Xinjiang combined to produce this moment of magic. It has all the ingredients: the scuffed clearance, the ricochet, the deflection, the whiffed miskick – and, of course, the stunned reactions followed by the embarrassment of realizing that it has been broadcast to the nation on CCTV-5. It doesn’t really matter, but for the record, Xinjiang players are the ones doing the scoring (against themselves). Another fine, fine moment for Chinese soccer.
Medal tally, scandals turn China’s National Games into a joke
The far northeastern province of Heilongjiang came into China’s National Games with 43 medals already in the bank. Yes, you read that right. 17 gold medals were “won” before the official start of the Games, and only one of those was due to an event being scheduled ahead of the opening ceremony. That’s because some bright spark had the idea of converting medals from previous events into medals that actually count at the National Games:
Continue reading Medal tally, scandals turn China’s National Games into a joke
Huawei to take global sporting PR tour to London
I’ve written before about Chinese telecoms company Huawei using sports and entertainment to combat the atrocious PR it tends to get around the world. That trend is continuing, but the company now appears to be spurning the US and focusing more on Europe.
Continue reading Huawei to take global sporting PR tour to London
Tiger Woods: best player never to win a major (again)?
Tiger Woods and Ye Shiwen might make an unlikely couple, but both are prime examples of athletes who have lost their sporting mojos. This week’s Sports Talk column looks at why athletes struggle to get back to their top of their game after losing form:
We tend to think of sports as being a purely physical pursuit, but at the very top levels, it’s far more about mental strength than anything the body can do. Just as a novelist can get writer’s block and be paralyzed for months, once an athlete loses their sporting mojo, it can be very hard to retrieve.
Continue reading Tiger Woods: best player never to win a major (again)?
Weekly Wrap: Golden Sun, missing mojos, and feng shui in the EPL
Sun Yang won his third individual gold medal at the FINA World Championships, adding the 1,500m title to his wins in the 400m and 800m. He kept pace with Canadian Ryan Cochrane for most of the race, and then blasted away in the final two lengths. It was well outside his own world record pace, but he never looked troubled. What’s more, he could easily have had a fourth gold: his anchor leg in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay, which pulled China up into the bronze medal position, was a full second quicker than anyone else swam in either the individual or relay events.
Continue reading Weekly Wrap: Golden Sun, missing mojos, and feng shui in the EPL
Money trumps player safety in EPL’s Hong Kong jaunt
I wrote about the state of Hong Kong stadium last week, after which two more Barclays Asia Trophy games took place and another player was injured. I don’t usually sympathize with players who get paid tens (and sometimes hundreds) of thousands of pounds per week for kicking a ball around a field, but that changes somewhat when their safety is willfully put at risk simply because the Premier League must make money at all costs.
The Manchester United squad was pictured watching the games on Saturday. Do these faces look like they are happy about playing here this evening?
Continue reading Money trumps player safety in EPL’s Hong Kong jaunt