金融时报:橄榄球场上的马云

橄榄球场上的马云

这项让人热血沸腾的运动，能否抱住马云的“大腿”，在中国变得流行？

测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：

rugby英式橄榄球['rʌgbɪ]

multimillion数百万[mʌlti'miljən]

tournament锦标赛，联赛['tʊənəm(ə)nt]

off-pitch场外的

collaborate合作；勾结[kə'læbəreɪt]

sporadically零星地；偶发地[spə'rædɪkli]

Alibaba's Jack Ma tackles rugby in China （395words）

By Tom Mitchell in Beijing

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma, a relatively recent investor in China's surging football industry, is now hoping to promote another English import after signing a development and sponsorship deal with World Rugby.

Under the agreement, announced on Sunday, the e-commerce group's sports division said it would make a “long-term multimillion US dollar investment in the development of rugby in China”.

“We encourage young people to join rugby to cultivate the spirit of being strong-willed, aggressive, acquisitive and unified,” said Zhang Dazhong, chief executive of Alisports.

The deal was announced at the annual Hong Kong Sevens, the world's premier seven-a-side tournament that is as famous for its off-pitch parties as it is for the on-pitch action.

In exchange for its support of the sport, Alisports will be given exclusive rugby broadcast rights for its internet platform. The partners will also collaborate to help China host more international rugby events.

Alisports was established by Alibaba in September with minority investors including Sina and Yunfeng Capital, a private investment vehicle controlled by Mr Ma.

“This deal will ensure an unprecedented platform for rugby to reach, engage and inspire new participants across China,” said Bernard Lapasset, World Rugby chairman.

Alibaba, the most famous of China's “big three” internet groups, is one of the country's most acquisitive companies, using its cash to snap up assets as diverse as Chinese football clubs and Hong Kong newspapers.

It owns 38 per cent of Evergrande Taobao FC, a successful club based in the southern city of Guangzhou. Recent investments by Chinese billionaires such as Mr Ma and Wang Jianlin, chairman of the Dalian Wanda property and entertainment group, have begun to change the face of international football.

Mr Ma, 51, is China's second-richest man with a fortune estimated at $22.7bn, according to the annual Hurun report. He was previously the country's richest man before being surpassed by Mr Wang, whose wealth grew by more than 50 per cent last year. In 2015, Mr Wang paid $52m for a 20 per cent stake in Spain's Atlético Madrid.

But it is far from certain that Chinese tycoons such as Mr Ma can do for rugby what they have done for football, given its much lower profile in the world's most populous country.

China has been represented only sporadically at the Hong Kong Sevens by teams that have often been beaten heavily by other minnows.

请根据你所读到的文章内容，完成以下自测题目：

1.Where is the birthplace of rugby?

A.America

B.England

C.China

D.Australia

答案(1)

2.How many players are on the court for Hong Kong Sevens?

A.15

B.5

C.7

D.21

答案(2)

3.Who controlled Yunfeng Capital, a private investment vehicle?

A.Wang Jianlin

B.Jack Ma

C.government

D.Zhang Dazhong

答案(3)

4.Who paid $52m for a 20 per cent stake in Spain's Atlético Madrid?

A.Wang Sicong

B.Jack Ma

C.Hurun

D.Wang Jianlin

答案(4)

* * *

(1)答案：B.England

解释：Rugby:英式橄榄球，最早起源于英国。

(2)答案：C.7

解释：香港七人橄榄球赛是一项世界顶级7人比赛，场地、规则与传统15人制橄榄球大致相同。

(3)答案：B.Jack Ma

解释：去年9月，阿里巴巴创建阿里体育，少数股东包括新浪(Sina)和由马云控股的私人投资公司云峰基金。

(4)答案：D.Wang Jianlin

解释：2015年，王健林斥资5200万美元购入西班牙马德里竞技俱乐部(Atlético Madrid) 20%股权。