Sets a Stage for an International Sports Event in the Greater Bay Area
MACAU SAR 23 February 2024 – The inaugural Greater Bay Area International Sports Business Summit officially kicked off today at the Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) in Macau. The Summit is co-hosted by Realeague, Lanxiong Sports, and Macau Pass, organized by Modern Sports, sponsored by Galaxy International Convention Center, and supported by Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. As the first major sports business summit in the year of the Dragon, the summit sets the stage for a long-waited international sports business occasion, bringing together industry leaders in the world of sports to envision the future of sports business.
The summit was inaugurated by Mr. Vincent U, Representative of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr. Wan Sucheng, Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR, Mr. Cui Jian, Head of the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province, Mr. Pun Weng Kun, President of the Sports Bureau of Macau SAR, Mr. Jay Li, Co-Chair of the GBA International Sports Business Summit Organizing Committee, and Mr. Francis Lui, Vice Chairman of Galaxy Entertainment Group.
Mr. Vincent U, Representative of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, said in his remarks, “GBA International Sports Business Summit” is the first of its kind in Macau, aligning with the city’s strategy to promote the MICE and the sports industry. Macau as a trade and economic co-operation service platform along with its strong MICE facilities can play a substantial role in making these great connections and collaborations happen. Macau welcomes the sport industry to seize the abundant business opportunities within the wider Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for future ventures.”
Mr. Philip Cheng, Director of Galaxy Entertainment Group said, “it is with great pleasure for us to gather here at GICC in Macau to support the summit, which exemplifies the cross sectoral integration of ‘MICE + Sports.’ It perfectly aligns with GEG’s philosophy of driving synergies between the cultural, entertainment, sports and MICE sectors. Throughout the years, GEG has supported various major sports events held in Macau. Through contributing to the diverse sports events, combined with our top-notch facilities and amenities, we are committed to promoting Macau as a ‘City of Sports’ and advancing Macau’s ‘1+4’ adequate diversification development strategy.”
“We are dedicated to nurturing and developing this industry strategically in the GBA, which not only serves as a gateway to the vast Chinese market but also fuels the economic growth of East Asia as a whole,” said Mr. Jay Li, Co-Chair of the GBA International Sports Business Summit Organizing Committee. “Sports are more than just competitions; it’s also about technology, media, marketing, and most importantly, it’s about the people – the fans, the athletes, and everyone behind the scenes. We created this summit to answer this calling through our shared passion for sports.
Renowned industry leaders, including Yao Ming, President of Chinese Basketball Association, Dwyane Wade, basketball legend and Hall of Famer, Li Ning, Founder of Li-Ning Brand and Executive Chairman of Li-Ning Group, were invited to the summit to share their valuable knowledge and experience. The summit began with Fireside Chat with Joe Tsai: “Love of Sports and Measures of Success”, featuring Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba and Owner of Brooklyn Nets, moderated by Emily Tan, CNBC Senior Correspondent. The subsequent sessions were 3 panel discussions.
The first session, “Panel: The Greater Bay Area: A Rising International Sports Hub”, featuring Kevin Kelley, COO of Galaxy Entertainment Group, Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group, and Ismael Martinez Merchan, Design Lead (Kai Tak Sports Park) of Populous, was moderated by Li Shuangfu, Co-Founder and President of Lanxiong Sports.
The second session, “Panel: Reaching New People in New Places on New Platforms”, featuring Derek Chang, Executive Chairman of EverPass Media and Board Director of Liberty Media, Jeremy Loeliger, Commissioner of NBL, Peer Naubert, CMO of Bundesliga, and Dave Gillet, Head of Media of Extreme E, was moderated by James Emmett, Editor-at-Large of Leaders.
The third session, “Panel: Legacy & Exploration: a Diversified View of China Sports”, featuring Li Ning and Yao Ming, was moderated by Han Mu, Founder and CEO of Lanxiong Sports.
Through these influential presentations and discussions, the two-day summit aims to provide inspiration and insights for attendees to drive development and innovation in the sports industry.
