USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL), the official licensing arm and broadcaster of the United States Polo Association (USPA), along with the company’s China licensing partner, Yicai Brands Management, announced that U.S. Polo Assn. will be the official apparel sponsor of the 2018 China Open Polo Tournament, recognized as one of the largest and most high-profile international polo tournaments in China.
The event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Tang Polo Club in Beijing, and will be the fourth consecutive year that U.S. Polo Assn. has been a major sponsor of the tournament. This year the tournament showcases four international polo teams including Brunei, England, Malaysia and the host country, China. U.S. Polo Assn. will be providing official jerseys for players and uniforms for event staff, authentically connecting the brand and the sport for consumers and sports fans across mainland China.
With a global footprint exceeding $1.6B in retail sales and a brand presence in 166 countries worldwide, China has become a major growth market for U.S. Polo Assn. as the brand targets $2B in global sales. The brand plans to have over 300 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores in China over the next five years, representing one of the largest retail footprints for an international apparel brand in the Chinese marketplace. In early 2018, U.S. Polo Assn. became the first global brand to relocate its Chinese operations to the city of Changshu, also known globally as “Apparel City,” into its new home in the Changshu Brand Operations Center. The operations center specializes in product design, research & development, marketing, social media and e-commerce.
“With our amazing partner, Yicai, U.S. Polo Assn. is building a significant brand presence in China while also driving tremendous long-term growth. We are also excited to be the official apparel sponsor for the prestigious China Open Polo Tournament. This will be another opportunity to build global brand awareness while also engaging consumers and sports fans in the sport and lifestyle of polo in one of the most important markets in the world,” commented USPAGL President and CEO J. Michael Prince.
Yicai President Justin Xu commented, “We are proud to be part of U.S. Polo Assn. and are excited about building the brand and our long-term growth opportunities in China. We are also honored to be a major sponsor for the China Open Polo Tournament recognized as one of the most prestigious polo tournaments in China.”
