[Sponsored Article] According to international business data platform Statista, the market size of China’s sports industry was close to 3 trillion yuan (US$469 billion) in 2019, continuing a trend of steady growth over previous years. The industry represented roughly three per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. By 2025, the industry is expected to reach 5 trillion yuan, or US$782 billion in current exchange rates. This is according to the projection outlined in Circular Number 46 “Several Opinions of the State Council on Acceleration of the Development of the Sports Industry and Stimulation of the Sports-related Consumption” released by China’s State Council in October 2014. While the Chinese Government made it clear that the guiding principle of the Circular was to improve the population’s general health—by encouraging more people to participate in sports, the capital market has since embraced the move, viewing it as a favourable policy for the sports industry. The increased market capitalisation of many of China’s leading companies in the field, often in relation to brands marketing and products manufacturing, is well-documented. However, it must be noted that China’s sports industry is a diverse one, and as vibrant as in any other country. It does no harm for investors looking for asset valuation to be a bit more creative. An interesting sub-sector in the nation’s huge sports industry is digital sports entertainment, itself a dynamic marketplace which includes a wide range of services and activities: information services, quizzes, mobile games, and lotteries associated with sports. Crazy Sports Group, formerly V1 Group, is a leading digital sports entertainment company in China. The Company has completed a business restructuring and divested some of its business operations recently in order to focus its resources on sports entertainment business. The company enjoys a commanding position in a number of its chosen market segments. Chairman of Crazy Sports Group, Dr Zhang Lijun, is confident that with a new management team and strategic focus, Crazy Sports will be able to capitalise on the favourable industry policies and aspire to become the largest digital sports entertainment group in China. The company, with its name change, reflects its core business in digital sports entertainment, a stronghold it has spent years buildings. “We’d established our forecasts on the value of sports entertainment sector before the release of Circular No.46,” noted Peng Xitao, CEO of the forward-thinking enterprise. “Over the years we have developed a well-articulated, accretive business model for our sports entertainment operations business.” Now, Crazy Sports is on a mission to accelerate its multi-channel offerings for its full range of digital sports entertainment linked services. For example, Crazy Sports has grown a close-knit sports community that comprises the digital applications Crazy Red Insights in partnership with close to 30 sports channels with high users’ traffic, and providing them with original IP content. These digital platforms integrate streaming data flow and data sources to create an online content entertainment platform spanning the three major areas of sports, games and lottery, serving a base of over 200 million users. More digital initiatives followed. Early this year, in Hainan, Crazy Sports secured approval from authorities to establish a sports quiz platform, with the exciting factors of a sports tournament platform and a reward points system. The platform, built using blockchain technology, was launched in response to government opinions and relevant regulations. Like the Hainan sports quiz platform, many of Crazy Sport’s new developments are enabled by cutting-edge technologies. For example, in February, the company entered into cooperation with Huochain Technology, under world-leading digital assets service provider Huobi Group. This was to establish a transparent and credible online sports quiz system and platform. Again, using blockchain integration. Crazy Sports understands the importance of offering its users unique services. One of the most high-profile IP content developments has been the official authorisation it secured from the international sports organisation—the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro). This is to launch a football e-sports mobile game “Ace Soccer”, a significant UEFA Euro strategy, featuring renowned international players from 54 countries and leagues. The official authorisation runs into 2023. Crazy Sports is also the official game partner of Chinese Football Association Super League. The Group’s new sports lottery retail business has been running smoothly this year with increasing outlets. There is a strategic cooperation line up with new partner Lakala (Beijing) E-Billing Technology for its sports lottery sales business. This raised its profile not only in new lottery retail business, but also in more convenient and intelligent lottery purchase services for the large lottery user base in China. CEO Peng is confident of the Group’s future. “With major sports events scheduled this year, there will be increasing demand from entry-level users for sports events information and analysis on Crazy Red Insights. To cater to the fast growing market, Crazy Red Insights will step up investment and promotion efforts in all applicable markets to entice more new users. Exciting sports can keep spectators on the edge of their seats. But for Crazy Sports the growth in the digital sports entertainment sector is highly anticipated. All is now ready to reach out to more users through multi-channel offerings. http://www.ir.crazysports.com/en/about_group.php