AFL Toyota Premiership 2011

2010 Kaspersky Cup
AFL Shanghai Showdown
Melbourne v Brisbane Lions

Sunday October 17, 2:00pm (local time)
KIC Jiangwan Stadium, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China

Curtain Raiser: China Red Demons v Japan Samurais U/21

Tickets
Adults (GA unreserved) – 100RMB
Concession (GA unreserved) – 50RMB

• Buy tickets
• Visit www.51afl.com
• Kaspersky Lab press release
• Woodside sponsorship announcement
  

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THE AFL will play its first ever match in China between Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions this Sunday October 17.

The Kaspersky Cup, AFL Shanghai Showdown, will be played at the Jiangwan Sports Centre in Shanghai, starting at 2.10pm local time.

The stadium at the Jiangwan Sports Centre in Yangpu District has a capacity of up to 10,000 spectators. Teams from Japan and China will feature in a curtain raiser to the main game.

On Saturday October 16, 12 Australian football teams from across Asia will also compete in the Asian championships at Jiangwan Stadium. The Kaspersky Cup coincides with World Expo in Shanghai, at which Australia has a significant presence.

AFL General Manager National and International Development David Matthews said the match was a wonderful opportunity to showcase Australian football.

“Australian football is more than 150 years old but this is our first ever AFL match in China. We are extremely excited to be able to bring Australia’s indigenous game and all its unique skills to Shanghai as we continue to develop the code internationally,” he said.

In another first, the match will broadcast live into the Shanghai region on the Chinese language Great Sports Channel and on International Channel Shanghai (ICS).

The AFL recently signed a landmark agreement to broadcast matches live into Shanghai, including the 2010 Toyota AFL Final Series and Toyota AFL Grand Final. In 2011 one AFL match per week will be televised live in Shanghai on ICS through Australia Network.

In 2010 the AFL also conducted a development program in schools across Shanghai to introduce children to the game and set up a Mandarin language website www.51AFL.com.

The AFL’s venture into China followed a suggestion by then Federal Trade Minister Simon Crean to take Australian football to Shanghai for World Expo.

Melbourne chief executive, Cameron Schwab, said the Kaspersky Cup, AFL Shanghai Showdown would be a pivotal moment for Melbourne.

“Our time in China is about growing and building trust. The key to any form of development is openness, which in itself is a learned skill and is one of the key outcomes we are seeking from our time away,” he said.

“The timing could not be better. The core of this group will be together for at least the next ten years. Our future together, representing a tradition that is as old as the game itself, in one of the oldest cultures in the world. It is indeed one of those moments.”

Brisbane Lions Chief Executive Michael Bowers said it was a wonderful opportunity to develop and promote the code to a massive international market. "The Brisbane Lions are certainly honoured to be part of showcasing the best of Australian football and culture to the rest of the world," he said.

"The travelling players and staff will get to share in a once-in-a-lifetime experience which can only help to further unite our group."

Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific Managing Director, Harry Cheung said it was delighted to partner the AFL as it played the first ever match in China.

“The Kaspersky Cup will create new cultural connections between the Chinese community in Shanghai and Australia. We are committed to building long term relationships in Australia and China and this is a great way to strengthen our cultural connections in both markets.”

Australian football contributes $3.4 billion annually to the Australian economy, with 7 million people attending AFL matches each year.

There are more than 733,000 registered participants across Australia and 53,000 players across 38 senior leagues around the world.

The Kaspersky Cup is also supported by Woodside Energy, the Victorian Government and La Trobe University.