The Infront Sports & Media agency has extended a rights distribution and commercial partnership with the Chinese Basketball Association.
Infront, which is operated by the Wanda Sports division of Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda, will manage the CBA’s international media rights and sponsorship portfolio in a deal beginning in 2017-18.
Infront said a Memorandum of Understanding had been agreed following “a period of fruitful negotiations” to “redefine” the two organisations' long-standing partnership, which dates back 12 years.
The agency has helped to restructure the CBA’s commercial programme, establishing it as the fastest growing sports league in China and the best professional basketball league in Asia. The league currently has 20 clubs and features 417 games per season.
[UPDATE: This article was changed on 3rd April 2017, at 11:45AM UK time. The original version incorrectly stated that the extension of the agreement was for 12 years, from 2017-18. The length of the extension had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.]