Momentum Sports, one of China’s leading sports marketing, brand consulting, and athlete representation companies, focused on traditional sports, eSports, and crossover entertainment, has merged into CAA China, it was announced today. Momentum Sports’ founder and CEO Mark Gao will work closely with CAA China CEO Mary Gu to help guide and grow CAA China’s efforts in sports. As part of the agreement, Legend Capital, an investor in Momentum Sports, will become a shareholder in CAA China.
“Mark Gao and his internationally-minded management team at Momentum will join our world-class sports business, helping further our efforts in China in such high-demand areas as broadcast rights, sponsorship, IP, and operation,” said Gu, who has extensive experience in sports having previously served as President of the International Special Olympics in East Asia and credited with establishing the IAAF Diamond League China League. “In this moment of remarkable opportunity in China, Momentum’s local sports insights and experience, combined with CAA’s global reach and resources, will play a key role in the continued acceleration of our growth strategy.”
Gao launched Momentum Sports in 2016 after serving as vice president of NBA China, where he was responsible for business development, media planning and sales in the global partnership department. Over the past two years, Momentum Sports has provided professional and prospective consulting services for both local and international brands, including vivo, Mengniu, Home Credit, BMW, Logitech, and Nike. Momentum Sports has also worked extensively with local sports professionals, counting footballer Bowen Huang and rising basketball star Shaojie Wang, among its clients.
“We are excited to become part of a company with such a stellar global reputation like CAA and look forward to working collaboratively with our new colleagues – both domestically and internationally – to develop new opportunities for clients in the market,” said Gao.
Launched in 2006, CAA Sports, CAA’s diversified sports enterprise led by Howard Nuchow and Michael Levine, is a global operation encompassing 17 divisions, including property sales, brand consulting, corporate hospitality, media rights, trademark licensing, and athlete representation. CAA Brand Consulting, the agency’s award-winning brand services offering, includes 200 employees, who work collaboratively on behalf of prestigious global brands, while CAA Sports’ industry-leading Property Sales division represents such renowned properties as Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Madison Square Garden, the Golden State Warriors, and City Football Group, among others. Named the Most Valuable Sports Agency by Forbes in 2017, with $8.5 billion contract value under management, CAA Sports represents more than 1,700 of the world’s top athletes and coaches in sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, hockey, baseball, football, Olympics, and action sports. CAA Sports also oversees the development, design, and construction of major stadiums and arenas.
Since its launch in April 2017, CAA China has executed an accelerated business development strategy, while continuing to foster cross-border business between China and the U.S. CAA China has established a talent department spanning film, TV, and digital media; further enhanced its media finance department; and launched a new department, developing strategic campaigns and successful partnerships with brands on behalf of international musicians’ tours in China. CAA China has also formed a brand advisory and entertainment marketing department, aiming to maximize value for both talent and brands.
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About CAA China
CAA China is a world-class media and entertainment platform formed in partnership with leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and China’s leading investment firm in entertainment, tech and consumer sectors CMC Capital Partners (CMC). Majority-owned by CAA, CAA China launched in April 2017, and combines the expertise and vast resources of CAA with the broad reach and network of CMC in Greater China. CAA opened its China office in 2005 and has successfully built out its multiplatform approach to the market. The company has been at the center of every major Chinese co-production for the past 10 years and has packaged, sold, or raised financing for more than 75 Chinese- language film projects. Additionally, CAA has directed more than a half a billion dollars of Chinese capital into English-language content.
About CMC Capital Partners (CMC)
CMC Capital Partners or CMC, founded and chaired by Mr. Li Ruigang in 2010, is a leading equity investment firm in entertainment, tech and consumer sectors. CMC’s RMB and USD funds have invested in many industry champions and emerging leaders in key subsectors including film, television, sports, live entertainment, internet media, social networks, e-commerce, local service, education, logistics, supply chain, artificial intelligence, lifestyle and consumer.
About Legend Capital
Legend Capital is the independent Venture Capital investment subsidiary under Legend Holdings Corporation. The core business of Legend Capital is early-stage Venture Capital and expansion-stage Growth Capital investment. It focused on TMT, creative consuming, professional services and healthcare industries. Legend Capital is now managing several USD funds and RMB funds with a total AUM RMB35 bn, and focuses on innovation and growth enterprises with operations in China or related to China. By 2017, Legend Capital has invested in about 400 companies, including IFLYTEK, CAR Inc and Catlbattery. Nearly 70 are successfully listed on domestic or overseas capital market, besides, nearly 50 companies achieved exit through M&A.