Why not, dim sums and dumplings?
Sports news being relegated to the back pages of newspapers and mentioned at the end of television news reports has been going on for decades.
This is the problem.
It’s especially a problem when a city like Hong Kong, desperately needing good success stories to attract the rest of the world and international tourism, seemingly can’t find truly effective ways to celebrate the wins of Hong Kong born sporting heroes as front page news.
Many would have perhaps heard of the successes of champion Hong Kong-born Eurasian swimmer Siobhan Haughey, though, like other sporting success stories, her record breaking wins were, again, mostly on the back pages.
Today, and always starting the day off by reading the Sports news, there was the story on Hong Kong born Shaun Liu Yu-sang, and how the 12-year-old became the first snooker player from the city to win the English Under-14 Championship.
This happened over the weekend when the young snooker player, who moved to the UK earlier this year, beat Nicholas Ayers 4-0 in the final at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall.
Of course this win doesn’t have the bells and whistles and international party atmosphere and mainstream front page appeal of the fabulous Hong Kong Rugby Sevens that ended on Sunday with wins for New Zealand’s men’s and women’s teams.
The point is that winning is winning and it’s really about how effectively and where and how each relevant success story is marketed.
It might be wishful thinking, but here’s someone who’s a Hong Kong Belonger and been in marketing for over three decades, and is looking forward to the day when the media in the city and sponsors come together to celebrate all Hong Kong winners right up close and personal.
In an ideal world, this can be a week long or even month long celebration of our sporting heroes as well as the championship winning standards of the city’s culinary masters and everyone else who is bringing something new and exciting to the Hong Kong banquet table.
Pride of ownership is infectious, and the pride in showing the world how Hong Kong celebrates its home grown heroes and talent is just waiting there- and here- to be ignited.
Anyone got a match?
Another thing: What about these two popular personalities- Donnie Yen and Keanu Reeves, both starring in the latest chapter of the John Wick franchise-hosting and being goodwill ambassadors of this event?
Wouldn’t anything associated with them be front page news around the world?
Here’s to making this chain reaction of positivity happen in Hong Kong- and be seen and covered around the world.