The collaboration between the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee (MGPOC) and the Chinese sports gear manufacturer Li Ning (China) Sports Goods Co. (Li-Ning), announced last week, will be limited to the celebratory edition of the 70th Macau Grand Prix set to take place in November, the Sports Bureau (ID) clarified to the Times in a written response.
According to the ID, “at present, this collaboration between the two parties is limited to the 70th Macau Grand Prix,” although the bureau did not rule out other collaborations in future. The ID said to the Times that “it is hoped that there will be more collaboration plans in the future to achieve the long-term goal of jointly promoting the sports industry in Macau.”
As announced last week during the press conference from MGPOC, the Chinese brand founded by former Olympic gymnast Li Ning will be partnering with the local motorsport event by supplying GP staff uniforms.
From the clarification made by the ID to the Times, it is clear that this collaboration only includes some GP staff.
“This year, under the joint collaboration of the MGPOC and Li-Ning, the company is sponsoring work outfits for certain MGPOC staff,” the ID said, advancing also that “through collaboration with an internationally renowned sports brand, the mutual influence can help increase the brand promotion of the Macau Grand Prix and create a win-win situation for both parties for the development of the sports industry.”
Also questioned on the topic of who had the initial idea of this collaboration and why with Li-Ning, the ID only said, “as the largest and most iconic sports tourism event of the city, the Macau Grand Prix has received support from various local and world-famous brands and companies,” hinting that it was the company that initiated this collaboration.
Traditionally a sports equipment and apparel brand, Li-Ning was present last month at Paris Fashion Week, which took place at Centre Pompidou presenting its Summer 2024 collection “MY-VERSE” comprised of streetwear.
According to the brand, the idea is to show the brand’s “symbol to the vast and limitless universe of China Li-Ning’s characters, sports, aesthetics, genres, and global youth cultures.”
On the collection presented, founder Li-Ning said, “after three decades, we are excited to leverage our intrinsic understanding of the athlete’s body and fuse it with an aesthetic, an attitude, and a sense of style that is deeply and uniquely Chinese yet intended for all. We wish to define the space where sport and imagination intersect, with a vivid approach and quality that is unparalleled.”
