HONG KONG, June 1 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- QSL Sports Limited, led by well-known Chinese-born financier Kenny HUANG Jian Hua and a renowned Hong Kong businessman, announced that it has formed a long-term binding partnership with the Chinese Baseball Association (CBA) to develop the China Youth Baseball League (CYBL) with the ultimate goal of increasing China's influence in the sport on the international stage.
QSL Sports will serve as an investment platform focusing on business opportunities in sports such as basketball, baseball and tennis, as well as establishing media channels for sports related broadcasting.
Investors of the CBA partnership include Albert HUNG Chao Hong, a Hong Kong philanthropist and a standing committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
"Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese players get to play in the best leagues in the world and so will the Chinese," said Huang. "It is my belief that China, as a sports-loving nation, has immense potential in offering great talent to the world of baseball at the highest levels. This partnership with CBA turns a new page in the development of baseball in China. I look forward to seeing more Chinese players take their places in Major League Baseball just like Yao Ming does in the NBA. I am confident that our effort will help grow in China 'a love of the game' in the near future."
QSL Sports will spearhead the drive to raise China's profile and standards in the sport with an initial commitment of multi-million US dollars over the next ten years. An official signing ceremony for the partnership will be held in Beijing in early June.
"We are very pleased to partner with Mr Huang in making baseball one of the most popular sports in China. The partnership will bring international expertise and resources imperative to the development of the sport especially amongst the younger generation," remarked Madam SHEN Wei, Secretary General of CBA and an Executive Committee Member of the International Baseball Federation, the worldwide governing body for the sport of baseball.
Under the agreement, CBA will provide its full backing and support for developing the CYBL programs. Recognizing the importance of "baseball training needs to start with the kids", CYBL will aim at developing young baseball talent across the country and helping promising junior players to gain major league exposure.
Mr. Marc Ganis, the owner of Chicago-based SportsCorp Limited, will also be a strategic partner in this venture and will focus on setting the framework and standard of CYBL, providing expert leadership on professional coaching support and training as well as practice facility management.
CYBL will not only be the vehicle for tapping into the vast pool of young talent for the major leagues, it will also generate revenue through sports sponsorship, marketing of baseball merchandise, managing players' rights and broadcasting rights as well as hosting tournaments.
Huang is no stranger to bringing financial support to professional sports in the United States and China. He is also active in both China and Hong Kong's financial communities with investments and holdings in numerous famous listed Chinese firms.
SportsCorp Limited was founded by renowned sports consultant Marc Ganis. The Company has helped bridge numerous key sports and sponsorship deals in China, including advising New York Yankees to expand their marketing programs to China and develop a co-operation with CBA.
For more information, please contact Hill and Knowlton Asia Limited:
Rachel Chan
Tel: +852-2894-6309 / +852-9400-0979
Email: rachel.chan@hillandknowlton.com.hk
Shirley Lo
Tel: +852-2894-6214 / +852-9041-2345
Email: shirley.lo@hillandknowlton.com.hk
