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 been based in China since 2007.
Mark can be reached at mark@chinasportsinsider.com
To keep up-to-date with all the latest news from China Sports Insider, please click on the “SUBSCRIBE” button in the top right corner of this page.
Recent media coverage
China Sports Insider has appeared in the following media:
January 30, 2018: AFP Murky Bakambu deal puts China transfer tax to the test
January 18, 2017: BBC World Service Radio Newsday: Cedric Bakambu set for record China transfer
January 11, 2018: AFP ‘Global shift’ as Olympics set up shop in Asia [also published in French, Spanish, Vietnamese]
December 22, 2017: Financial Times Can Russia help China crack men’s pro ice hockey? [also published in Russian, Chinese]
November 28, 2017: China Daily UFC’s 1st event on mainland China bodes well for home soil fighters
November 16, 2017: New York Times China’s Soccer Push Puts a Storied Team Under Murky Ownership [also published in Chinese]
February 13, 2017: DW News 法媒评中国足球：需大处着眼小处着手 [Chinese]
February 7, 2017: SPORTSNET The Chinese Super League’s spending spree: All you need to know
January 19, 2017: BBC World Service Radio Sport Today: Tevez arrives in China
January 18, 2017: NOS Chinese voetbalgekte zit ook zichzelf in de weg [Dutch]
January 16, 2017: Sky Sports Chinese Super League rule changes could drive prices up, says Beijing football journalist
January 16, 2017: BBC World Service Radio Sport Today
January 13, 2017: China Daily Sports authority proposes cap on football salaries
January 12, 2017: Irish Examiner Has China the patience for world domination?
January 9, 2017: CNBC Carlos Tevez heads to China
January 8, 2017: Koran Sindo China Pangkas Nilai Transfer Pemain [Indonesian]
January 6, 2017: AFP Chinese cheer curbs on ‘ridiculous’ spending [also published in French, Spanish]
December 31, 2016: AFP China set to shatter football talent transfer records [also published in French, Spanish, Vietnamese]
December 24, 2016: AFP Chinese parents shy away from football World Cup dreams [also published in French, Vietnamese]
November 21, 2016: World Gaming Magazine China signs huge Premier League TV deal
November 18, 2016: South China Morning Post Lin Dan is one of China’s most marketable athletes – so will his many sponsors rush to abandon him after affair scandal?
November 18, 2016: China Daily English Premier League agrees major new rights deal in China
November 18, 2016: Bloomberg Premier League Said in $650 Million Deal With China’s PPTV
November 16, 2016: Wall Street Journal Chinese Soccer Hopes Netting Lippi is a Game Changer
November 10, 2016: Báo Mới Lippi có chết chìm với mức lương 450 tỉ/năm? [Vietnamese]
November 4, 2016: China Daily Chinese company targeting EPL team
November 4, 2016: Associated Press Despite fanfare, Chinese fans doubt Lippi will work miracles [also published in Vietnamese]
October 31, 2016: AFP Evergrande and Scolari celebrate China championship
October 28, 2016: Globe and Mail China takes aim at soccer superpower status
October 24, 2016: CCTV News Marcello Lippi hired to coach China’s national football team
October 23, 2016: Báo Mới Bóng đá Trung Quốc: Tiền bạc vẫn không thể mua được thành công [Vietnamese]
October 22, 2016: AFP Avec Lippi, la Chine s’offre un champion du monde [French; Spanish version here]
October 19, 2016: Sunderland Echo Why Chinese investors are targeting Sunderland and other Premier League clubs
October 15, 2016: SO FOOT Chine : l’alerte rouge
October 14, 2016: Financial Times China misses Xi Jinping’s football goal
October 13, 2016: AFP China’s football crisis shows money can’t buy success [also published in French, Spanish, Chinese]
October 12, 2016: Reuters Fading World Cup hopes a rude awakening for China’s soccer dream
September 30, 2016: CNBC President Xi’s ultimate goal for football in China
September 29, 2016: CRI American football star Peyton Manning visits Beijing [audio clip]
September 22, 2016: Beijing Review Bought in China
September 21, 2016: Q Daily 融资金额不够，中国人对 AC 米兰的收购还没完成 [Chinese]
September 15, 2016: Bloomberg AC Milan buyer said to seek funds to close $830 million deal
September 9, 2016: China Daily Scoring a touchdown in China
September 7, 2016: Báo Mới Trung Quốc thâu tóm Châu Âu qua bóng đá [Vietnamese]
September 1, 2016: China Daily English soccer legends Michael Owen, Mark Wright, target China
September 2, 2016: Associated Press TV China: World football’s next superpower?
August 27, 2016: The Economist Winging it: China and the beautiful game
August 26, 2016: Financial Times China’s $2bn football buying spree has fans fearful of final score [also published in Chinese]
August 23, 2016: Team Talk Why the Far East is growing its influence in football
August 23, 2016: Beijing Morning Post What is Team GB’s secret sauce? [Chinese]
August 22, 2016: CNBC Hits and misses at the Rio Olympics
August 22, 2016: Trang chu 24h China’s worst Olympic performance for years [Vietnamese]
August 21, 2016: NBC News China’s Olympian Factories Churn Out Fewer Champions
August 19, 2016: Wall Street Journal China rethinks gold medal pursuit at Rio Olympics
August 19, 2016: Private Eye Chinese investment in football clubs
August 17, 2016: Jiemian 傅园慧谈“大姨妈”惊动了主流外媒 [Chinese]
August 16, 2016: The Guardian Great fall of China: Beijing’s Olympians fail to reach highs of previous Games [Vietnamese version here]
August 16, 2016: O Globo Nadadora chinesa quebra tabu e admite que menstruação a atrapalhou [Portuguese]
August 16, 2016: Aftonbladet Bryter ”idrottens sista stora tabu” [Swedish]
August 16, 2016: Dagbladet Internett-sensasjonens intervju hylles i sosiale medier: – Definitivt et tabu [Norwegian]
August 16, 2016: BBC World Service Radio Sport Today: reaction to China’s under-performing Olympians
August 15, 2016: The Guardian ‘It’s because I had my period’: swimmer Fu Yuanhui praised for breaking taboo [Spanish version here]
August 12, 2016: AFP China puts best face on sluggish start at Rio Olympics [French version here]
August 11, 2016: ESPN FC What the UK TV broadcast deal means for the Chinese Super League
August 6, 2016: Lance! Pivô chinês enfrenta os Estados Unidos para fugir da sombra de idolo [Portuguese]
August 6, 2016: Channel News Asia Rio Olympics preview
August 5, 2016: Sky Sports West Brom takeover and Guochuan Lai investment explained
August 5, 2016: Channel News Asia AC Milan China deal
August 5, 2016: CRI The 2016 Rio Olympic Games
July 29, 2016: New Time Игра престола (Game of Thrones) [Ukrainian]
July 29, 2016: Share Radio The Business of Sport: China’s first Manchester derby cancelled
July 22, 2016: Kontan Konsorsium korporasi China siap membeli AC Milan [Indonesian]
July 22, 2016: Bloomberg Chinese Dealmaker Sonny Wu Said to Lead Takeover of AC Milan
July 21, 2016: ESPN FC AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi in Sonny Wu talks over sale
July 21, 2016: Sky Sports Chinese investment analysed: What Far East funds mean for the game
July 13, 2016: BBC World Service Radio Sport Today: reaction to new China Cup football competition
July 12, 2016: Travel Weekly Asia Soccer crazy China plans rival Champions League trophy
July 11, 2016: Reuters TV China’s football plan
July 9, 2016: CCTV-5 World Football Forum: Chinese elements take the lead [Chinese]
July 9, 2016: Xinhua World Football Forum’s China Focus [Chinese]
July 9, 2016: CRI World Football Forum’s China Focus [Chinese]
July 9, 2016: Shanghai TV World Football Forum news report [Chinese]
June 6, 2016: CNN Indonesia Inter Milan-Suning, Awal Mula Jaringan Raksasa Olahraga [Indonesian]
June 6, 2016: Canal Plus L’Inter passe sous pavillon chinois [French]
June 6, 2016: BBC World News Inter Milan bought by Suning news report
June 5, 2016: Suara Pembaruan Perusahaan Retail Tiongkok Siap Kuasai Saham Klub Inter Milan [Indonesian]
June 5, 2016: Reuters Inter Milan set to be bought by Chinese retailer [French version here]
May 27, 2016: China Daily Chinese buyers line up to bid for Stellar Group
May 25, 2016: CCTV-5 World Football Forum preview news report [Chinese]
May 25, 2016: LeSports World Football Forum preview news report [Chinese]
May 21, 2016: South China Morning Post Is Xia Jiantong the man to save Aston Villa, or will fans be wishing Randy Lerner never left?
May 20, 2016: Share Radio The Business of Sport: Tony Xia buys Aston Villa
May 20, 2016: Euro2Day Κινέζος μεγιστάνας αγοράζει την Aston Villa [Greek]
May 19, 2016: Fortune Chinese Businessman Buys Historic English Soccer Club
May 19, 2016: Roklen24 Čínský miliardář koupil anglický fotbalový klub Aston Villa [Czech]
May 19, 2016: Republika Pengusaha Cina Beli Aston Villa [Indonesian]
May 19, 2016: Bergens Tidende Kineser har kjøpt Aston Villa på billigsalg [Norwegian]
May 19, 2016: Reuters Chinese magnate to buy English soccer team Aston Villa [also published in Chinese]
May 10, 2016: AFP Where’s the passion? China football boom missing key ingredient [also published in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Vietnamese]
May 3, 2016: CCTV News Asia’s No.1 potter reinvigorates sport in China
April 13, 2016: CRI Managing Expectations, Will China Qualify for 2018 World Cup?
April 11, 2016: CCTV America China plans big investment in nation’s soccer development
March 30, 2016: Trouw Het Chinese elftal wordt gezien als nationale schande. Dat moet anders kunnen [Dutch]
March 14, 2016: China Daily Global prominence the goal for Chinese soccer
March 9, 2016: VTC News Bí ẩn bóng đá Trung Quốc: Tỷ phú mua đội bóng để lấy lòng Bạc Hy Lai [Vietnamese]
March 4, 2016: China Daily CSL not shy about opening vault
March 3, 2016: Nemzeti Sport Vicceltek a futballjukkal, most bárkit megvesznek, mert a vezető így akarja [Hungarian]
March 2, 2016: Asian Venture Capital Journal Kings of content: Investors target China media
February 26, 2016: AFP China winds up record spending spree [also published in French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese]
February 26, 2016: BBC World News Mark Dreyer (China Sports Insider) talks to BBC World News about transfer window
February 24, 2016: Vice Sports Murder, corruption, and the demise of a Chinese football giant [Dutch version here]
February 23, 2016: Financial Times TV rights deal confirms China football’s rise [Chinese version here]
February 12, 2016: CCTV America Sports expert Mark Dreyer on Chinese soccer spending
February 7, 2016: El País El fútbol chino está que lo tira [Spanish]
February 5, 2016: Manager Magazin Warum Chinas Milliardäre mit Fußballgeld um sich werfen [German]
February 5, 2016: AFP Liverpool target Teixeira becomes China’s latest record transfer
February 2, 2016: Aftonbladet Vill resa kinesiska muren med Zlatan [Swedish]
February 2, 2016: Financial Times Chinese football clubs go on global shopping spree [Spanish version here; Portuguese version here]
February 1, 2016: AFP Chinese football clubs spend big as President Xi dreams of glory [French version here; Spanish version here]
January 16, 2016: CCTV News Football industry in China
Really enjoy your site. Keep up the good work!
Great work! Do you happen to have some numbers for women participating in sports in China and what the growth has been? And if not, do you have any idea where I could look for those?
“The headlines about Li Na’s latest knee injury have centered on the fact that she will miss the US Open later this month, but the real story is about ensuring her legacy.
Wuhan, of course, is the brand-new WTA Premier event in her hometown in late September, and, as the face of this new tournament, Li knows she has to do whatever it takes to play there. That, it seems, has become more important to her than winning another Grand Slam or earning the No.1 ranking”
What? You cannot be serious! Silly analysis.
I’m pretty sure she would prefer the USO or the no.1 ranking over a knee injury 😉
Yes she would, but she’s also realistic to know that the no 1 ranking is out of reach for at least 18 months from now – by which time she will be turning 34 – and the Australian Open is her only decent shot at a Grand Slam in the next 12 months (excepting an admittedly major blip in 2011, her record at Roland Garros and Wimbledon is poor). So she’s doing the smart thing and focusing on the future.
Recommended by a colleague based in London i contact you to propose an interview of the first french FIFA football Agent.
Stephane Canard is also the president of the French Agents Union.
The goal is to talk about how Chinese investors are seen in the French and European football industry.
What about the investment they have done yet (such as Lyon in France, Milan in Italy or Liverpool in England) and how to guarantee the next ones… in term of sucesses and profits.
Feel free to come back to me and to let me know your thoughts…
Regards,
Brahim Ayata
+33 6 67 08 73 44
Mark
Somehow do not have any direct contact for you. please let me know phone and email.
Thanks
Rowan
Would love to learn more about how I could be helpful & continue to built my sports presence in China at the same time.
Wonder – Do you do stories about small amateur clubs?
Hello there,
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Hello,
I would like to ask you, who are chinese national biathlon coaches for women and mens team for the season 2022/2023 instead of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen?
In advance thank you very much for your answer
Best regards
Michal Reisner