China Open 2004

[greenlion]

The China Open will be held in the 2008 Olympic City at the newly built state-of-art Beijing Tennis Center featuring a 10,000-seat Center Court and an additional 15 match courts. The Tournament includes competitions for ATP and WTA players, ITF junior players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

　　The Open aims to become the world's "fifth Major" and will be televised nationwide by CCTV for over 150 hours. Ticket sales were launched in late July under very strong demand from fans. Over 600,000 fans are expected to attend this major festival of tennis which also counts with the participation of the ATP's former French Open champions Juan Carlos Ferrero，

　　Carlos Moya and finalist Guillermo Coria, former US Open champion Marat Safin, top 10 stars David Nalbandian and Rainer Schuettler and Asian number one Paradorn Srichaphan and Dominik Hrbaty, Taylor Dent, Younes El Aynaoui, Hicham Arazi, Sjeng Schalken and many others. The women’s field includes China's new tennis star Zheng Jie, newly crowned Queen of Wimbledon and Princess of tennis Maria Sharapova, WTA top 10 Kuznetsova, Zvonareva and fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and famous Serbia player Jelena Dokic.

Event Name: China Open

　　Host City: Beijing, People`s Republic of China

　　Dates & Competition: 　　September 10-26, 2004
　　Dates & Competition: 　　Men`s International Tennis Tournament　　
　　Dates & Competition: 　　Women`s International Tennis Tournament
　　Dates & Competition: 　　Junior`s International Tennis Tournament
　　Dates & Competition: 　　Senior`s International Tennis Tournament
　　Participating Players: Over 300 World Professional Players

　　Competition Venue: Beijing Tennis Centre

　　Organizers:　　General Administration of Sport of China
　　Organizers:　　Beijing Municipal Government

　　Co-organizers: 　Chinese Tennis Association Tennis Administrative Centre of
　　Co-organizers: 　General Administration of Sport of China
　　Co-organizers: 　Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport

　　Patron Partners:　　Beijing Youth Daily
　　Patron Partners:　　TOM Group Limited

　　Host Broadcaster: China Central Television (CCTV)

　　Promoters: 　China Open Limited 　　　　　　　
　　Promoters: 　Media Serv Asia Pacific Limited

　　Marketing Agents: 　Marketing Favour Co. Ltd.
　　Marketing Agents: 　Pan-Asia Intercommunication Ad Co. Ltd.
　　Marketing Agents: 　Beijing Y.J. Films & TV Advertising Co.

[greenlion]

China Open signs key marketing deals
2004-08-06 18:10

　　Two mainland companies and one from Hong Kong have signed landmark agreements to become Official Marketing Partners with China’s premier sports event, the inaugural China Open tennis tournament.

　　Pan-Asia Intercommunication Advertising Co Ltd will negotiate marketing agreements in the fields of mobile phones, telecommunications, computers, internet, imaging and travel, while YJ Film has the exclusive rights to secure sponsors and corporate partners in multiple industries including banking and insurance.

　　The latter two industries are presently undergoing massive restructuring in the fastest growing market in the world as a result of China joining the WTO. Within a set timeframe, global players will be allowed to compete with the previously fully protected national and local state-owned enterprises. It is expected that the leading corporations in banking and insurance will compete very aggressively for the exclusive industry right to associate with the China Open.

　　Hong Kong-based Marketing Favour has secured exclusive marketing rights over a number of industries which are undergoing massive growth in the Chinese market, including vehicle manufacturing, sports apparel and footwear, and water.

　　China Open tournament director Mr Lincoln Venancio said the agreements with the two mainland companies were particularly significant. “Today is a historic day for the business of sport. It is the opening of the gate and China has now entered into the global industry of sports marketing,” he said.

　　“This is a wake-up call for the international players in the sports marketing industry. Major Chinese corporations want to penetrate this market and I am sure that within a few years they will become major players.”

　　Mr Venancio also welcomed the partnership with Marketing Favour, saying: “Marketing Favour's extensive experience with tennis and their long-term view mean they are a natural marketing partner for the China Open. This is a tremendous franchise that they have secured and I am sure this China Open official marketing license will become a great asset to their business.”

　　Mr Patrick Kong, general manager of Pan-Asia Intercommunication Advertising, said: “We are proud to be selected as an Official Marketing Partner of the China Open. This is a great business opportunity for our corporation. China is the most exciting market for large global corporations and here is where potential growth is. We will be very diligent in selecting the right corporations to sponsor and partner with the China Open.

　　“We are also very excited about the opportunities for the travel industry in connection with China Open. We are in a market where only a truly insignificant percentage of the population has had the opportunity to experience a Grand Slam-like tennis atmosphere. It is expected that fans from all over the nation will travel to Beijing for the China Open and we are already under discussion with a number of potential partners in the travel industry,” added Mr Kong.

　　Mr John Lee, general manager of Marketing Favour, said: “We are fully committed to work with the China Open on a long-term basis. We are very excited about having secured the rights as we sincerely believe that the China Open will become one of the most powerful brand building and marketing opportunities in the China market. Even prior to securing the rights, we had already been approached by multiple corporations interested in sponsoring the China Open.”

　　The China Open, featuring back-to-back men’s and women’s tournaments, will be held in Beijing for the first time from September 10-26, 2004. It will remain in the 2008 Olympic Capital for a minimum of 10 years (2004-2013) under the leadership of its tournament co-chairmen, National Minister of Sport Yuan Weimin and Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan.

[dreamer]

Elena Dementieva. I missed her this time in the Flushing Meadow, because of the damned hurricane. If she's playing in China, I'm going there.

http://www.rowztennis.com/imgs2/picoweek/picoweek_166_lg.jpg

[greenlion]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/o/p/2004-09-08/U774P6T12D1137345F44DT20040908170215.jpg
http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/s/p/2004-09-05/U397P6T12D1131249F44DT20040905000642.jpg
http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/o/p/2004-09-08/U774P6T12D1137347F44DT20040908170226.jpg

[meron]

I don't know about China Open becoming a 5th major. Japan Open had offered a million dollar prize money for quite a while now and has never become anything close to a major. How much is China Open offering?