The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Expansion of Australian style indoor sports centres in Japan

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, yesterday witnessed the signing of a major commercial deal between an innovative Australian indoor sports company and a major Japanese sports gym operator.

Sportainment has entered into a licensing agreement with Konami Sports for the provision of sport stadium operating systems for action soccer and other sports which will be introduced into 100 indoor sport centres around Japan over the next 10 years.

Through the support and assistance of the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), Sportainment entered into an agreement in 1999 to trial its indoor sport systems in Japan in conjunction with Konami Sports. Nine new stadiums were built by Konami using the Sportainment system. Following the success of these stadiums, Konami Sports entered into an exclusive master franchising agreement to expand the network of centres all over Japan in 2001. Yesterday, Konami Sports has renewed this arrangement.

In congratulating Konami Sports and Sportainment for concluding their licensing agreement, Senator Kemp noted that “this agreement will lead to the expansion of Australian indoor sports centres throughout Japan and enable Japanese families and workers, young and old, to enjoy engaging in regular sporting activities.”

”Australians are known for their sporting prowess, but this deal shows that we also have world class expertise in all aspects of sports and leisure systems – including creating new sports operating facilities and systems that make sport fun and attractive for ordinary people,” Senator Kemp said.

Konami Sports is Japan’s largest sports gym operator with 233 centres, 830,000 members and annual sales of US$726 million. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is owned about 54% by Konami Corp.

Sportainment is the brand name used by Clubtek International, a Melbourne based joint venture between Gary Harley and Mark Davis, which develops and markets indoor sports and team based management services and operates in New Zealand and South Africa. The philosophy of the facilities is to provide an environment where friends, families and workmates can play professionally managed team-based sports that are fun and convenient.

15 July 2005
Media contact: Michael Christo, Minister’s Office, 02 6277 7350 or 0407 040 276