News

BALTIMORE, Aug. 04, 2021 — Slinger Bag, a sports brand focused on innovating game improvement technology and equipment, with the vision to become a connected sports company, is announcing today its launch into the Chinese market via a five-year distribution partnership with Shanghai and Xiamen-based Powerway Sports (PWS). Under the terms of the deal, PWS will be exclusive distributor for Slinger of the Slinger Bag ball launcher, as well as for related Slinger branded accessories.

PWS was founded in 1999 and for the past two decades has been a leader in the Chinese tennis and sports markets. PWS’s extensive tennis experience includes working with global brands such as Dunlop, Wilson and Slazenger, and in 2020 PWS were the #1 supplier of tennis balls across the Chinese market. PWS is also the exclusive distribution partner for Bridgestone Golf and ASICS footwear.

Consumer sales of the Slinger Bag in China will begin in September through a comprehensive launch campaign across multiple e-commerce platforms. Tennis is now a leading participation sport with approximately 8 million people in China playing regularly (up from 1M in 1988) and with over 25,000 tennis courts across China. The Chinese tennis market is estimated to be worth in excess of US $2 billion annually (PWS Management Estimates).

“We are delighted to be joining the Slinger Bag success story at such an exciting time both for tennis in China and for Slinger as a new brand in global tennis. We are anticipating a very high demand for the Slinger Bag ball launcher in the Chinese market,” said Peter Chang, owner of PWS. “An extensive, multi-dimensional launch marketing program is planned along with significant grassroots activities. We believe that when players and coaches try the Slinger Bag they will quickly appreciate the game-changing potential of this incredible product. With our extensive history within the China tennis industry and our many existing partnerships with leading Chinese tennis coaches, academies and particularly with the China Tennis Association, our aim is to introduce all avid tennis players to the Slinger brand and the Slinger Bag launcher as quickly as we can starting in September this year.”

Enthusiasm for tennis in China has been fueled over the years by the successes of a number of breakthrough Chinese tennis stars including Peng Shuai and Li Na, who became China’s first Grand Slam Champion in 2011. The Men’s and Women’s China tour swing now includes 4 ATP events and 8 WTA events, underlining the significance of the China tennis market to the overall future growth and prosperity of the sport itself.

Slinger Bag is now represented in over 60 markets globally across 6 continents with expected cumulative consumer revenues now closing in on US $250 million over the next five years.

“China is a massive and growing tennis market and as a new tennis brand we are thrilled to have found such a strong and experienced partner in Powerway Sports,” said Mike Ballardie, CEO of Slinger. “Their market experience as a distributor is unequalled, and they share our enthusiasm and belief in the market potential of Slinger in China. We look forward to working closely with the team at PWS for the launch of Slinger through an extensive investment program incorporating marketing, promotion and local social media activities with the objective to put the Slinger Bag in front of all core tennis players across the country.”

The Slinger Bag is available to order now – to find out more about Slinger Bag, visit https://slingerbag.com.