KELOWNA – ProSmart Enterprises Inc., a global online network that connects sports fans, is pleased to announce a two-year marketing and services partnership with Dragon Group Asia (DGA). This follows the Company’s recent acquisition of DL Hockey, which operates hockey clubs and skills camps in China. DGA, a specialist sports marketing company in China that works with some of the world’s biggest brands – will develop a WeChat app that integrates with ProSmart’s online network.
This initiative will accelerate mass-market access in China, to ProSmart’s industry-leading, sports education system and team management suite. In effect, the new sports development WeChat app will position ProSmart as a premier gateway for youth development to educational companies around the world to leverage to gain access to the Chinese market.
The timing of this deal is considered a strong advantage since China is currently implementing a multi-billion dollar Winter sports program, prior to hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The WeChat app is a critical milestone for ProSmart’s expansion into China. WeChat is the most popular multi-purpose social media app in China, with 980 million monthly active users and is the most effective method for engaging the estimated 1.4 billion Chinese sports fans and players.
China’s sports industry – already estimated at 1.5 trillion yuan (US$240 billion) in 2016, is forecast by the Bank of China to more than triple by 2025, to a total of 5 trillion yuan (US$800 billion).
Alan Schuler, co-founder and CEO of ProSmart says, “DGA is operating at the very top of its field in China’s huge and rapidly-growing sports industry. This partnership is going to greatly accelerate our entry into China, enabling us to engage one of the most dynamic sports markets in the world.”
Johanna Hoopes, CEO, of DGA commented, “China is spending billions of dollars on winter sports development in preparation for hosting the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. This includes hundreds of new ice rinks, hiring top coaches and trainers from North America and energizing the entire country in support.
“One of ProSmart’s critical advantages is the unique sports education content it has created, using Olympic medalists, Hall of Fame star players, coaches and professional athletes. China is hungry for precisely this sort of content and, by integrating the ProSmart online network with China’s top social media app, we are tremendously excited about the potential rate of growth.”
To learn more about this partnership and other ProSmart news, check out their website.