CHINESE MULTINATIONAL CONGLOMERATE WANDA GROUP will become the title partner of the Diamond League for ten years from 2020 in a milestone agreement that will secure the future of the high-profile global series, Diamond League chairman and IAAF President SEBASTIAN COE announced at the IAAF Congress in Doha on Wednesday.
Partnership with WANDA GROUP to accelerate development of athletics and bring new top-class IAAF events to China according to the IAAF.
WANDA GROUP, and its world-leading sports division, WANDA SPORTS GROUP, is committed to playing a key role in the high-quality development of the Chinese sporting industry.
This long-term strategic collaboration between WANDA GROUP and IAAF not only represents a great new sporting asset for the Wanda Sports Group, but also promotes the development of Chinese athletics.
As part of this historic collaboration, Infront, a WANDA SPORTS GROUP company, has signed a five-year agreement with the IAAF and the Diamond League for the international media rights to the elite track and field circuit in 2025.
The partnership also includes a ten-year international media rights agreement for a second international tour, a series of one-day meetings around the world due to be launched by the IAAF in 2020 as an upgrade of the current World Challenge series.
This agreement represents the biggest commercial partnership in the history of athletics and includes:
– The ‘Wanda Diamond League’ title sponsorship for ten years from 2020
– The future organisation of an annual Diamond League meeting in China by the Wanda Sports Group
– The creation of a new annual IAAF event in China to be organised by Wanda Sports Group (details to be announced later)
– Co-operation in developing youth athletics in China
– The right for Wanda to co-host the IAAF Gala in China
– The Diamond League media rights for five years from 2025
“The Diamond League has been the IAAF’s shop window for a decade, thrilling fans around the world on an annual basis and we are delighted that the Wanda Diamond League will continue to showcase athletics for the next ten years,’’ COE said.
“As a leading marathon organiser in our fastest-growing market China, Wanda Sports Group is a perfect fit for athletics. Wanda shares our vision for the future of athletics and this partnership will be fundamental in helping our sport grow over the next decade, both in China and around the world.”
The CEO of the Wanda Sports Group, HENGMING YANG, said: “We are delighted to announce this exciting new partnership with IAAF and the Diamond League. Wanda is committed to working together with IAAF and the Diamond League to further grow athletics and the Wanda Diamond League series in China and all over the world. The objective to bring top-class sporting events to China is at the heart of the Wanda Sports Group’s mission. We’re looking forward to collaborating with the IAAF to excite and inspire athletics fans in China over the next 10 years”.
Infront President and CEO PHILIPPE BLATTER said: “With the exciting reforms presented by the IAAF, we are thrilled to play a major role in the future of athletics.
The Diamond League is an exceptional platform for athletes to showcase their talent and we are confident our expertise in content delivery will match the Diamond League’s prestige and secure the global exposure it deserves. Additionally, we are delighted to partner with IAAF around the newly created international tour which will provide additional exposure and awareness for the sport.”
