Why China is key to the Australian Open’s international growth strategy
As tennis Grand Slams increasingly face the possibility of disruption and more intense competition, the AO is actively extending brand positioning as the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific
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Thank you for reading Notice in 2025!
Today marks the last e-newsletter of the year so I wanted to say a big thank you for subscribing to Notice.
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Matt - Founder/Writer
Australian Open welcomed YoPRO as an Official Partner for 2026 which will deliver interactive activations across AO26 - The announcement also marks a major moment for World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, making his debut at the AO as YoPRO’s Global Chief Progress Officer
Hydration brand, Liquid I.V., signed on as the Official Hydration Supplement Partner of the United Cup, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart Internationals - The collaboration marks Liquid I.V.’s first major foray into Australian sport
General Motors Specialty Vehicles became the official automotive partner for the LA Rams in Australia and NZ throughout this season and next, including the first ever regular season NFL game to be played at the MCG in 2026
Sydney Thunder inked a new deal with RSEA which became the Club’s Official Workwear & Safety Equipment Partner
Perth Bears announced a mega-deal with second-hand retailer and personal finance provider Cash Converters which became the club’s front-of-jersey sponsor for its inaugural 2027 NRL season, and the following 2 years
Perth Bears and Southern Cross Austereo WA announced a new 3-year media partnership which will see SCA deliver dedicated airtime and promotional support each year across Mix94.5, 92.9 Triple M, 34 regional stations and LiSTNR, to help build the Perth Bears’ brand presence across WA
Melbourne City FC welcomed Gumbuya World as the Club’s Official Theme Park Partner - As part of the collaboration, all Melbourne City members and fans will receive discounted entry to Gumbuya World - the theme park will also have a presence on match days at City Square
Credit Union SA extended its partnership with Port Adelaide across the club’s AFL and AFLW programs - it will also continue its support of the club’s not-for-profit arm, Power Community Limited, and continue as the naming-rights partner of the club’s Community Footy Raffle
Gold Coast SUNS and Mackay Regional Council announced a partnership extension which will see Mackay continue to be the home-away-from-home for the Club’s AFLW team
South Sydney Rabbitohs announced a new high-performance partnership with American Football Australia which will see Australia’s top flag football athletes train out of the world class USANA Rabbitohs Centre in Maroubra
Hockey Australia secured a 1-year partnership extension with Kumho Tyre Australia which will continue to support hockey at all levels — from grassroots clubs and community competitions to elite national teams such as the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos
Adelaide Strikers and the South Australian Cricket Association welcomed Jones Radiology as an official partner which will support SACA and the Strikers’ high-performance program, ensuring players have access to world-class diagnostic imaging and medical expertise
Adelaide Lightning and Sports College SA announced a new partnership that will give SCSA students – particularly girls pursuing basketball and broader sporting pathways – meaningful access to Adelaide Lightning athletes, coaches, and professional staff
Ringers Western extended its partnership with Queensland Rugby Union as the Official Formal Wear Partner
Football Victoria inked a new 4-year partnership with New Balance, and Belgravia Apparel which will see FV’s staff, Academy teams/programs and representative squads wear New Balance uniforms and playing kits from 2026
PUMA hosted a shakeout run before last week’s HYROX event in Melbourne, and launched its ‘Hype Zone’ at the event which gave attendees a chance to get inked at the onsite tattoo shop, Trial the PUMA’s NITRO™ footwear range, win a stack of PUMA prizes, and get a first look at the first-of-its-kind shoe built for HYROX
WNBL and Beyond Blue announced a new partnership that will shine a nation-wide spotlight on the power of connection with the launch of Mental Health Takes a Team – Know Your Starting 5 Mental Health Round, to be held during Round 10 19-23 December
South Sydney Rabbitohs and New Zealand Warriors struck a unique agreement, allowing player sharing between their NRLW pathways
Western United received a legal lifeline to help it avoid being wound up by the ATO, helping its chances of a return to the A-Leagues
Australian Golf announced the launch of GOLF360, a year-round digital media platform that unifies the full strength of Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia’s digital ecosystems
Nielsen research indicated that the Canberra Raiders NRL and NRLW matches contributed $27M+ stimulus to the local economy, with more than 50% coming from interstate and overseas visitors
The Village Green returned to the Adelaide Oval for the Third Test, and it features a number of pop-up bar and brand activations
Foot Locker expanded its footprint across Australia with three new ‘Reimagined’ store openings in Robina (QLD), Watergardens (VIC) and Maroochydore (QLD)
SportsBox, maker of self-serve lockers with free access to sports equipment, installed lockers in 2 x new locations in Victoria - Portland and Casterton
Revo Fitness opened a new site in Richmond with a sunrise DJ set from Collingwood FC Captain, Darcy Moore
A Melbourne-based data analytics company, Data Driven Sports Analytics (used by World Number One Aryna Sabalenka) was acquired by sports tech firm Orreco (which has been backed by billionaire Mark Cuban)
Cameron Green became the highest-priced overseas player in Indian Premier League history, bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for 252 million rupees ($4.17 million)
A new fencing league called World Fencing League (WFL) has been launched by 3-time Olympian Miles Chamley-Watson in the hope of dragging the “ancient Olympic sport” into the modern entertainment age
Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically after his scheduled for a 45-minute visit to Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium only lasted 20 minutes - fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch
Following his AFL Grand Final headline performance earlier this year, Snoop Dogg announced he has teamed up with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee as “Coach Snoop, Team USA,” a volunteer role focused on supporting and uplifting American Olympians and Paralympians away from competition
GIS Sydney campus to kick off with Australian Summit
Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is opening its latest global campus in Sydney next month, launching a Master of International Sports Business and Master of Sports Analytics in partnership with the University of Newcastle, with classrooms inside the Allianz Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground.
To celebrate the campus launch, all students enrolling onto a degree starting in January 2026 will get free access to the annual GIS Australian Sports Summit to Melbourne and Sydney. This will include guest speakers from AFL, Football Australia, NRL, Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, Paralympics Australia and the Australian Sports Technologies Network. Students will also get behind the scenes access to the Australian Open, A League and NBL.
If you’re interested in studying a unique industry-led master’s degree in 2026, you can learn more and apply here.
Why China is key to the Australian Open’s international growth strategy
Australian sports organisations are accelerating their push beyond domestic borders, and the Australian Open’s (AO) international growth strategy is worth noticing.
Related: How international forces are shaping sport in Australia
The Australian Open is building its global brand
The Australian Open holds a unique position in global sport. It’s the world’s premier tennis tournament in the southern hemisphere and the only Grand Slam played in Asia-Pacific time zones - this factor, has been a big contributor to its global success.
The rise of superstars like Japan’s Naomi Osaka and China’s Zheng Qinwen have boosted what are already enormous tennis fanbases and AO broadcast markets across APAC, and this Asian audience is set to grow further thanks to the rise of many other upcoming stars from across APAC.
As tennis Grand Slams increasingly face the possibility of disruption, and more intense competition, Tennis Australia is actively defending and extending its brand positioning as the “Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific” (which it’s held since 2003), and China is key to this.
China is core to the Australian Open’s plans within the Asia Pacific
Why?
1.4+ billion population
The world’s 2nd largest economy
Within China:
330m tennis fans - 220m of whom are AO fans (Craig Tiley estimated this in 2018, but it’s likely more now - refer to 400m broadcast statistic below)
25m tennis enthusiasts (Nearly one in every 50 people in China is a hardcore tennis fan)
*“China is now the fastest-growing tennis market globally and the depth of talent across Asia-Pacific is extraordinary” - John Fitzgerald
China’s tennis boom began 15 years ago thanks to Li Na
In 2011, China’s Li Na became the first Asian tennis player to win a grand slam title - the 2011 French Open. She later took the AO in 2014 which sent China’s tennis boom into overdrive.
The baton has now been passed to Zheng Qinwen, who reached the final at AO 2024 before claiming singles gold for China at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Now one of the world’s highest-paid female athletes, her return to the court at AO 2026 is highly anticipated after she suffered an elbow injury in the back half of 2025.
The Australian Open broadcast in China delivers massive reach
China consistently provides one of the highest viewerships of the AO around the world, reaching over 400 million households according to Tennis Australia Chief Commercial Officer, Cedric Cornelis.
In 2024, Tennis Australia and China Media Group (CMG) announced an extension of their long-term broadcast partnership that is seeing CMG’s CCTV Sports platforms continue to broadcast the Australian Open in China on free to air television until 2026.
The coverage across CMG’s multiple platforms is core to boosting the popularity and influence of the Australian Open in China.
The Australian Open’s social media presence across China has surged
Nearly 40% of its overall broadcast and social media audiences are located in China
The AO has experienced double-digit growth every year for seven years across its social media
Contributing to this growth, and ensuring the momentum continues, a dedicated team produces content all year round for popular Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, RedNote
Tennis Australia is exploring cooperative projects to improve the overall levels of Chinese tennis.
“It’s in our interest to see a healthy tennis business in China”
- Roddy Campbell, Director of Partnerships and International Business, Tennis Australia
Tennis Australia has:
Opened offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong
Organised large-scale launch events in China, which has included China AO retail collection unveiling’s, partnership activations and high-profile media events
2025 - AO Launch in Shanghai (below)
2024 - AO Launch in Aranya (see here)
Launched the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off tournament which sees top players from the Asia-Pacific region compete for a coveted AO main draw wildcard – earlier this year Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined Tennis legend John Fitzgerald in China to announce the will return to Chengdu this year.
Ball Kid exchange program - In 2025, Six Chinese ball kids flew from Beijing to Melbourne to assist at the Australian Open
Chinese brands are sponsoring the Australian Open
The AO’s growing popularity is attracting sponsorships from major Chinese brands.
Luzhou Laojiao – The Chinese alcohol brand which makes baijiu (a strong liquor made from grain) was reported to be the AO’s largest Chinese sponsorship deal in history, valued at tens of millions of dollars. While the brand has minimal recognition among Australian consumers, its highly-visibile perimeter court placements at Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena have prompted widespread curiosity among local fans.
In contrast, Luzhou Laojiao is a household name in China, and is the world’s most consumed spirit due to the sheer amount it’s drunk in the country. In 2023, Luzhou Laojiao signed a 5-year deal as the Official Baijiu Partner of the tournament.
Luckin Coffee - In 2024, Tennis Australia announced a new multi-year partnership with Luckin Coffee which will become the AO’s Official Coffee Partner in China and South East Asia. Luckin is a leading retail coffee company and at the time the deal was done, it had over 13,000 stores across more than 300 cities in China. Luckin has leveraged virtual signage at the AO to activate its sponsorship in China and across South East Asia.
Haier - The Chinese Consumer electronics company entered into a new 3-year deal as the Official TV and Appliance Partner of the AO and Summer of Tennis events.
Brands are sponsoring the Australian Open to tap into the Chinese market
For global and Australian brands alike, the AO has become more than a sporting event, it’s a trusted gateway into one of the world’s most complex and valuable consumer markets.
EZZ Life Science: Australian genomic life science company EZZ Life Science, signed a 3-year regional sponsorship deal with the AO in 2024 with the goal of expanding its brand presence in China. It’s leveraged digital advertising on AO platforms, social media takeovers, and influencer collaborations to engage Chinese tennis fans, and other key markets across APAC such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam - home to 550 million people.
Piper-Heidsieck - The official sponsor and champagne supplier of the Australian Open, views China as being at the center of the company’s ambitions, and that the Australian Open provides a valuable platform for brands like Piper-Heidsieck to connect with Chinese audiences.
- Piper-Heidsieck chief executive Damien Lafaurie
Many other brands have been leveraging there AO partnerships across China - including Kia, Waterdrop, Dunlop, ANZ and Ralph Lauren.
The Australian Open is creating a virtuous cycle in the Chinese market
Where deeper engagement drives greater fan interest, which in turn amplifies broadcast reach and social media exposure, unlocking increased commercialisation through partnerships (commercial, media, government) that can be reinvested to further strengthen its presence and relevance in China.
What the Australian Open is building in China is not a short-term activation play, but a compounding growth engine - a self-reinforcing ecosystem where Chinese fandom, visibility and commercial value continuously feed each other.
Related: A look inside Australian Open partnerships, The humble beginnings of the $500+ Australian Open, A look inside the business of the Australian Open
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Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.
Wow, I was aware of the partnerships like Haier and 1573, but I’d no idea of the launch events or brands using the AO as a means to accessing the market!
Semi-related, I recently put together some thoughts on how all of the Grand Slams could dial up the commercial appeal with some new “local” rules. https://substack.com/home/post/p-187056386
Quite an Insightful read!