Leif Rogers on North American Sports in Asia, New Deals, and the Business of Fan Building in China

For North American sports in China, the appetite is there - millions of fans, growing middle-class purchasing power, a government actively promoting winter sports and athletic culture. However, the path from interest to revenue remains complicated. Leif Rogers has spent his career navigating exactly that path. As Founder and CEO of Red Phoenix Entertainment, he helps North American athletes, leagues, and franchises build real commercial presence in Asia.

Leif previously joined The Negotiation alongside his colleague Gino Gordon to lay out the Red Phoenix thesis. He's back for a follow-up episode to share what he's been working on since, including recent deals and campaigns, and to give us his most current read on the sports market in China. A lot has shifted: platform dynamics, broadcast rights, Chinese fan consumption habits, and the role of individual athletes as commercial anchors have all evolved.

In this episode, Leif breaks down which North American sports are gaining traction in China and which are struggling, which athletes are resonating with Chinese fans and why, and how Chinese brands are thinking about North American sports sponsorships today. He also covers how fans are consuming sports content across digital platforms, what the biggest overlooked opportunities are for leagues and franchises, and what advice he'd give any sports property serious about building a presence in the region.

Discussion Points

· Red Phoenix Entertainment overview: what the firm does and how Leif came to build it

· Recent deals and campaigns: what Red Phoenix has been working on since the last episode

· Current state of the sports market in China: what's changed and what the landscape looks like in 2026

· Sport-by-sport breakdown: which North American sports are gaining traction in China and which are not

· Which North American athletes are resonating most with Chinese fans and what makes them stand out

· How Chinese brands are approaching North American sports sponsorships today and what they're looking for

· How Chinese fans are consuming North American sports content across platforms and streaming services

· The biggest challenges North American sports properties face when entering or scaling in China

· The most overlooked opportunities in the Asia sports market that most leagues and teams are missing

· Leif's outlook for North American sports in Asia and advice for any property serious about the region