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Rugby Sports Marketing Alibaba

Alibaba invests big to help grow rugby in China

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By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

October 27, 2016 | 3 min read

Alisports, the sports arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba, has invested $100m into Chinese rugby as part of a joint initiative with the sport’s global governing body to grow the game in Asia over the next decade.

Through the investment China hopes to qualify for the 2020 Olympics Rugby 7s

Through the investment China hopes to qualify for the 2020 Olympics Rugby 7s

The long-term strategic partnership with World Rugby will see the creation of China’s first-ever professional men's and women's leagues. The investment will also be used to establish a sevens programme in the hope that the national team will qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

World Rugby's most recent statistics have found that around 58,000 people currently play the sport in China and with its investment Alibaba hopes to bring in an additional one million new players to the sport within the next five years.

"World Rugby's strategic mission is to grow the global rugby family,” said Brett Gosper, chief executive of World Rugby. “China is central to that mission and we are delighted to be announcing further details of our ground-breaking plans in partnership with Alisports and the China Rugby Football Association.

"Driven by a common vision, ambitious but attainable goals and an unprecedented investment programme, we are confident that we can build a strong and sustainable platform from which to ensure that China is in the best possible position to become a major force on the international stage with strong men’s and women's sevens and XVs teams, sustainable leagues, model development and participation programmes and real major event hosting potential.”

Zhang Dazhong, chief executive of Alisports, added: "Rugby is a great Olympic team sport with strong values, which is why we are so excited about its undoubted potential in China. We have a great partner in World Rugby and together we will work tirelessly to promote the development of rugby in China with a goal of inspiring one million new players in five years.”

The popularity of rugby is growing in Asia, particularly in Japan where Scottish Rugby has recently formed a number of partnerships in an attempt to familiarise its brand with the sport in the region.

Rugby Sports Marketing Alibaba

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