Asian Football and the 'Sleeping Giant of the Orient'

By Imago Group
Wednesday 23 August, 2006

A new case study on the Asian Football Confederation, highlighting the current and future growth of the entire region with a focus on China - the 'Sleeping Giant of the Orient', will be released to industry decision-makers from Australia, Asia and the UK at Sport Knowledge Australia's live-in Executive Sport Management programme at Sydney Olympic Park in October.

Sydney - A major element in Sport Knowledge Australia's (SKA) second Executive Sport Management live-in programme will be a new in-depth case study into football in Asia prepared exclusively for SKA by Professor David Shilbury of Deakin University.

Shilbury examines the growth of the Asian Football Confederation and its current and past relationships with television rights buyers and marketing companies. Closely monitored is the prime position attained by the powerful World Sport Group with an insider view achieved through interviews with the organisation's entrepreneurial chief, Seamus O'Brien.

In a section dedicated to China, the author details the relationships struck by UK and European clubs in a bid to gain a foothold into a country regarded as 'the sleeping giant of the Orient' including Real Madrid's 20 million Euro investment which secured a 25 percent stake in the Beijing Guoan Chinese Super League club.

"Clearly, the race is on to invest in the future of football in China," says Shilbury. "The successes of the acquisition strategies developed with Chinese Super League clubs are based on assumptions of the future success of professional football in China.

"The burning question is, will China fulfil its potential and become the future of football in Asia? In the case study the reality of this future is considered against a backdrop of China's booming economy and developing status."

Full course details - www.sportedu.org/documents/esmp02.pdf

A former member of the AFL Tribunal and Board Member of the Confederation of Australian Sport, the Foundation Chair of Sport Management at Deakin and Foundation President of the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand, Shilbury is chief among a talented group of academics presenting at the SKA course from 15-20 October in Sydney.

They will be joined by distinguished identities from the sport industry led by the Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency David Howman - a former president of New Zealand Tennis and ex-commissioner for New Zealand Rugby.

Other highly regarded identities include NRL CEO, David Gallop and Australian Rugby's General Manager of Commercial Operations, Brian Thorburn.

Sport executives attending the course will gain a unique insight into the coach's perspective from former rugby union international, ex-assistant Wallaby coach and current NSW Waratah mentor, Ewen McKenzie.

ABOUT SKA: Launched in June 2005 with a Federal Government grant of $8.6 million, SKA is jointly owned by the University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. SKA delivers executive level education and knowledge-sharing on sports management, coaching and science via educational programmes, commissioned studies and research within Australia and through partnership programmes overseas. SKA will assist the continued global growth of the sports industry, helping more communities around the world to benefit from Australia's strong sporting culture. Since its launch, SKA has delivered the prestigious Indian School of Business's first sport product in Hyderabad, run seminars in China on sport venue management and courses in Australia on player valuation strategies, executive sport management and elite coaching.

ATTENTION EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Professor Shilbury is available for interview by contacting – Liz Herbert - Tel: +61 2 9331 7222 / Mobile: 0407 234 221