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China Media and Entertainment Law: The UFC with Chinese Characteristics:
Our lead China media and entertainment lawyer out of Beijing, Mathew Alderson, was recently interviewed for a VICE Sports story by Joshua Bateman, entitled, The UFC With Chinese Characteristics. The full text of the interview is below, with the publisher’s kind approval.
Alderson: I understand the UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championship] business is to be conducted by a Nevada LLC. The company promotes and produces mixed martial arts events broadcast free-to-air or through subscription services. I understand the company to have a broadcast deal with Fox Sports. The company is reportedly in discussions with Chinese buyers or investors. You are therefore interested in the effect Chinese ownership or investment may have on the management and regulation of the company.
At the outset, it should be appreciated that Chinese ownership of the Nevada LLC (or any other non-PRC company) would not, of itself, bring the company under Chinese regulation. The company would continue to be subject to regulation in the place in which it is established (Nevada and the United States) and the place or places in which it conducts business. The UFC would only become subject to Chinese regulation to the extent it conducts business in China. As a foreign company, the UFC could only promote its events in China with the assistance of a local partner with the necessary permits and licenses. Production of TV programs in China would also require the assistance of such a partner, probably a local co-producer. This is because foreign investment is restricted in the sectors in which UFC operates.
I answer your questions with these introductory remarks in mind.
VICE Sports: Is it possible Chinese regulators would view the UFC as a media company, and that would impact investment opportunities or how the company is regulated in China?
Alderson: Yes, it is possible because the UFC business model involves promoting live events and producing and broadcasting TV programs. These are sectors in which foreign investment is restricted. The impact would depend on whether the UFC established an entity in China and whether that entity is wholly Chinese or partly foreign-invested. A foreign-invested entity would attract greater scrutiny. The impact would be less if the Chinese market were approached by licensing content into China.
VICE Sports: If the UFC were to be acquired or were to accept investment from a Chinese company, would there be political/regulatory pressure in China for the company to alter its management or board structure to have more Chinese representation?
Alderson: Again, it would depend on where the company is operating and where the investment is made. There would be more scope for such pressure if a unit of the company were established in China, whether as a fully Chinese company or as a foreign-invested company. It would be much harder for Chinese owners to exert, or be subject to, this kind of pressure in holdings outside of China; although, if they had the necessary voting rights, Chinese owners could — like any investors — control or at least influence management abroad.
VICE Sports: If current UFC ownership does not sell the company but instead attempts to expand in China going forward, could they do so on their own or would they most likely need to join forces with a Chinese partner?
Alderson: They would need Chinese partners because foreign investment is restricted in the sectors in which they would likely be operating. The most likely business models are joint ventures and co-productions.
We will be discussing the practical aspects of Chinese law and how it impacts business there. We will be telling you what works and what does not and what you as a businessperson can do to use the law to your advantage. Our aim is to assist businesses already in China or planning to go into China, not to break new ground in legal theory or policy.
Source: http://www.chinalawblog.com/2016/06/china-media-and-entertainment-law-the-ufc-with-chinese-characteristics.html
