Li Ning - China's New Sponsor

Discussion in 'China Professional Players' started by kevinboy, Feb 5, 2009.

  1. RedShuttle

    RedShuttle Regular Member

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    It is encouraging and heart-warming that LN vowed to promote the game through out the world. However, given the difficulty in getting any LN products at this point, they still have a long way to go.

    If they do what they say, I'll pick up a LN racket too :)
     
  2. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    Li-Ning has the timing perfectly done with quite a bit of luck.

    with all these year, Yonex has spent tons of money popularizing badminton. years and years Yonex has pumped money into badminton. and then the SAR crisis back in 2003 caused the Chinese government to promote health and exercise, millions of Chinese flock to the badminton gyms. badminton flourished and expanded the Chinese market.

    now Li-Ning, having grown its muscles over the years, is exploiting the badminton popularity that has been built up all these year. springing itself into the world scene with the stunt in the Olympic opening. now badminton fans all over the world are clamoring to find out what this LN brand is about.

    my guess is that they will make a huge debut in the Sudirman Cup. with all the Chinese player yielding LN racket, clothings, shoes and bags. LYB having partnered with them will do anything to display LN merchandise despite the fact that all IBF events are contractually sponsored by Yonex. it will be interesting to see how they will clam as much LN there for the badminton world to see while not stepping over the line.
     
  3. RedShuttle

    RedShuttle Regular Member

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    Isn't LN already the title sponsor of China Masters and the coming Sudirman Cup? Wilson is also prominent in some European events.

    In any event, facing shrinking market share and profit, I suspect that Yonex will be quite willing to give up some events, locking up AE may be the first move of that strategy.
     
  4. extremenanopowe

    extremenanopowe Regular Member

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    Li Ning Rackets.

    Looks like the new kid on the block is storming in. Yonex will get a run for the money for sure. You can start reviewing.:D

    Li Ning Company Limited and the Chinese National Badminton Team Join Together





    Chinese Badminton Advances into a New Era
    BEIJING, April 24 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- On April 23, 2009 the Chinese National Badminton Team reached an agreement with Li Ning Company Limited, a leading Chinese sports brand. The badminton team became the 5th Chinese team to partner with Li Ning, along with the Chinese National Table Tennis Team, the Chinese National Gymnastics Team, the Chinese National Shooting Team and the Chinese National Diving Team. VIP guests at the signing included the director of the Table Tennis & Badminton Administration Center of the General Administration of Sports of China, Liu Fengyan, the athletic representatives of five generations in the badminton history of China: Tang Xianhua, Lin Shiquan, Li Yongbo, Zhang Ning, and Lin Dan, the chairman of the board from Li Ning Company Limited, Li Ning, and CEO of Li Ning Company Limited, Zhang Zhiyong. All attended the press conference to witness the signing of the agreement with the theme of "the glory of badminton," an historic milestone.
     
  5. maa2003

    maa2003 Regular Member

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    yup that's right, also one Super Series in China is sponsored by Li Ning.

    Let's see after Sudirman Cup, which Champions from Yonex sponsored-Super Series using Yonex racquets ? Lucky AE2009, team China still using YY ..:D
     
  6. szekt

    szekt Regular Member

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    Actually, IMO, I think it is better that China starts using Lining ASAP... this will break the stranglehold Yonex has on the badminton market....only then will its racket prices come down :)
     
  7. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    I doubt racquet prices will come down even with Li Ning getting a big share of the market. In fact Li Ning racquets may eventually cost more than Yonex's top range. For the lower grades and hence cheaper racquets, Li Ning will sell Kason racquets. Then there will be fakes of Li Ning in time to come.
     
  8. ctjcad

    ctjcad Regular Member

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    Hopefully..

    ..with the addition of a new brand, Li Ning, to the badminton scene, there will be more sponsorship for future baddy events. We could use another source of sponsor(s) and maybe perhaps double the prize money for future BWF sanctioned tourneys.:cool:
     
  9. Ajaib

    Ajaib Regular Member

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    i want to buy it.... hope it will be sell in indonesia......
     
  10. Zabee

    Zabee Regular Member

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    keep your fingers cross bros...........
     
  11. maa2003

    maa2003 Regular Member

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    Li Ning has appointed their authorized distributor for Indonesia market, located in Bandung (West Jawa).
     
  12. szekt

    szekt Regular Member

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    Maybe if Yonex has less international players on their sponsorships, they have less excuse to raise their prices in future including shuttlecocks (bird-flu or not)...:D
     
  13. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Yonex's disadvantage is their cost structure. Most of Yonex's badminton supplies are made in China under various contract-shoes, shirts, grips, shuttles, etc and their top range racquets are made in Japan which is a high-cost place.
    Already Yonex's profits last year is a fraction of Li Ning's and it cannot afford to spend on the type of high cost research Li Ning seems to take in its stride.
    I believe Yonex's biggest mistake was not forging a joint venture with a strong local Chinese Sports Equip. Company some years ago. It is kind of too late now.
    The latest Auto Show in Shanghai highlights the future trend of what is to be-China to set world trends in autos and every major auto maker must have a partnership in China to have a future in the car business.
     
  14. geordie

    geordie Regular Member

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    Yonex Marketing

    Taneepak. I agree with you. It seems for many years Yonex's racket have flown off the shelf just because their product seems creditable (says who?) and top players are using them. With the waves of very good (says who?) made in China, Malaysia and Indonesia rackets coming on line, Yonex's credibility seems to be taking a hit. People are really thinking again when holding that USD 250 racket and wondering aloud if that other sintec, Apacs, asahway, is just as good for a fraction of the price. I have seen in posting here that people are willing to buy a racket at 20% of Yonex prices and expects only 50% performance with the same paint job (read here apacs). Again here, the magic word is performance. If Yonex can prove to us that their mambo jumbo technology is really working to help our games, maybe its worth the price. How Yonex can prove that worth now will determine how far they will go against Li Ning. I have no doubt that Li Ning have done a lot of work to build a very good racket which no doubt Lin Dan will rave about. However I have my doubt if that USD250 Li Ning is going to better than the USD 250 Yonex. The truth is, we don't want USD 250!! We want a racket that can help us play the game better.

    What Yonex must do is to reward is badminton players who have supported this sport by playing it. They should use all their R&D worth to build more affordable, playable made in China rackets. Move to the market segment below their AT 900/MP100/Ti 10 range and compete. People here have advice us against buying a sub USD 100 Yonex, that they are crap. Lets see how the evil empire will response. If they don't.....in about 5 years, they'll be 1/2 of what they are today. asnd Li Ning will be the evil empire. If they did...we'll be in a for a ride.
     
  15. maa2003

    maa2003 Regular Member

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    the strong badminton country with many fans that currently sponsored by YY are Malaysia and Indonesia only.

    there is a rumors that Victor try to approach Malaysia, while Li Ning actually has approached Indonesia last year but in the end Indonesia decided to go with YY (only until 31 Dec 2009).

    if either Malaysia or Indonesia also left YY, then ..........

     
  16. jamesd20

    jamesd20 Moderator

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    (I am quoting epak as you stated this first)

    First of all I agree with most of what you say. I think however we should not write off yonex just yet.

    I know little of the profits of the two companies, however like Epak says it is likely LN will make more profit margin than YY, since they are based in China with Chinese employtees, so overheads must be lower than YY.

    Does anybody know comparative turnover figures for LN vs YY?

    Li Ning is a big brand in China and there are branches in every city and every department store. Their main line tends to be clothing and footwear. I like to see them as a Chinese Nike. As Kwun has said LN's timing is very good, after the OG & SARS people know Li Ning & like sport, especially badminton. Courts in CHina are fully booked every night and busy during the day...They have bought a company in Kason that sell good quality equipment and have most likely some expertise in badminto & have had a long association with the national team.

    IMHO Yonex flaw was not neccessarily not investing in a chinese (since they have the muscle and expertise to simply enter the market in china. But there apparent confidence in badminton to simply keep rolling out similar rackets with pretty poor marketing and continually selling at a high price. How many local events/tournaments are sponsored by Yonex in your area? In china there are lots of brands who sponsor badminton at a local tournament level. This is where the money is earned. I am sure many of the players, no matter how keen & in love with badminto they are do not care at all for elite level badminton so all the YY sponsorship at this level is somewhat wasted...Maybe YY feel it is beneath them to sponsor the lower level play,m which is now where the money is to be made?

    In any case YY are also in the miche of their own creation. WHilst they have tried (relatively unsuccessfully) to break into Golf & Tennis their staple is Badminton thus if this fails the company is history....as I stated before as I see it LN is mainly a Clothing and footwear brand, and the badminton will simply be an addition, which will bring a wider sales target to their plans and hopefully in the future may bring more people into badminton - When was the last time you saw some non-badminton player wearing a Yonex t-shirt down the street?
     
  17. george@chongwei

    george@chongwei Regular Member

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    so li ling brand has caught everyone's attention after they become the main sponsor of china badminton team;)
     
  18. jamesd20

    jamesd20 Moderator

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    Yup, their investment certainly paying off so far!!
     
  19. george@chongwei

    george@chongwei Regular Member

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    so whats next for yonex now?:p
     
  20. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    the discussion in this thread has been really thoughtful and wisely participated. good stuff.

    for whatever Li Ning has done in the market so far, they have done a good job. lots of leaks about a potential Chinese sponsorship deal generated a lot of buzz in the internet, esp here in BC. that the best marketing that cannot be bought with money.

    personally, i am interested in buying a Li Ning racket and see what the hype is all about. that's how well the marketing has worked.

    Yonex nor Li Ning will go out without a fight. that's for sure.
     

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