The Australian Open has landed a significant partnership deal with leading Chinese Baijiu brand Luzhou Laojiao in the largest Chinese sponsorship deal in the history of the tournament.
The partnership will be brought to life during the Australian Open by celebrating the shared values of tradition, history, celebration, culture and innovation as part of a special ‘Winning Moments’ series.
Luzhou Laojiao will benefit from global exposure and brand engagement through the Australian Open partnership including international broadcast visibility and a world class hospitality offering.
“We are delighted to welcome Luzhou Laojiao to the Australian Open partner family, a significant event in the history of our organisation,” Tennis Australia’s Chief Revenue Officer Richard Heaselgrave said.
“We’ve made no secret that China and the region are a major priority for the Australian Open, and that we take our role as the Grand Slam of Asia-Pacific seriously.
“The Australian Open is the biggest sports and entertainment event in the world in January, and the world’s best players and stunning tennis action attract the eyes of the world both in Melbourne and through our global broadcast.”
“This partnership is undoubtedly another historic milestone in the internationalisation journey of Luzhou Laojiao. In the future, we will work closely together with the Australian Open in promoting the sport of tennis, establishing sports charity programs, and building a stronger consumer base to activate this comprehensive, multi-dimensional and long-term collaborative partnership, as well as to enhance our communications with our global consumers, and further expand the brand influence of Luzhou Laojiao in the world,” Luzhou Laojiao’s Board Chairman Mr Liu Miao said.
As the first Chinese Baijiu brand to partner with a Grand Slam event, Luzhou Laojiao will further enhance the diversity of food and drink experience at the AO, as well as introduce the unique Chinese Baijiu culture and etiquette to fans around the world.
With the transformation into one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment events in recent years, the Australian Open has witnessed a soaring number of new fans from the region watching and visiting the event than ever before.
This enables the Australian Open to be an exciting platform for partners to connect with these fans in a number of engaging ways.
Tennis Australia established offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong in recent years, whereby a team of local specialists develop and operate multiple Australian Open-related events throughout the year, tailor content designed for fans in their local markets, and promote the Australian Open to tourists wanting to experience the event in person.
This along with the support of strong business, media, travel and government partnerships, enables the Australian Open to continue to cement itself as the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific.