Meet the man behind Shanghai’s top events
Print Edition
PEOPLE in Shanghai who have enjoyed world-class events at the Mercedes-Benz Arena are probably not aware of the behind-the-scenes contribution that 52-year-old New York native John Anthony Cappo has made to their entertainment enjoyment.
Cappo was awarded the 2016 Magnolia Gold Award by the Shanghai government for his work in the sports and cultural entertainment industry in Shanghai. That followed his receipt of a Magnolia Silver Award in 2013.
Cappo was the first native English-speaker to graduate with a business administration degree in Chinese from a top university in Taiwan. His decades of experience in the Asia-Pacific region have left him with a deep appreciation of Chinese and Asian cultures.
“I have been working in China and other Asian countries for over 25 years,” he says. “China is a country of rich heritage and culture that you could spend a lifetime learning about.”
The former managing director of IMG China, a global manager of sports and entertainment, established Tiger Woods’ first visit to China and the HSBC Champions golf event.
At the end of 2008, Cappo became the president and CEO of AEG Asia and the vice chairman of AEG-OPG Culture & Sports (Shanghai) Co, a joint venture between the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group and Los Angeles-based Anschutz Entertainment Group that operates the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai.
The venue has hosted performances by superstars such as Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Metallica, Queen, the Rolling Stones, Faye Wong, Jackie Cheung and top sporting events like the NBA and the PAC 12 basketball games.
Cappo is credited with bringing the venue naming rights industry to China by securing Mercedes-Benz as the naming rights partner of Shanghai World Expo venue in 2010. That agreement was recently extended by him for Mercedes-Benz to retain the rights until 2025, thus making it the longest-running sponsorship agreement in China.
Besides bringing international cultural and sports events to China, Cappo also acts as a manager for Chinese artists, like renowned pianist Lang Lang, for his endorsements and performances. Lang recently collaborated with Metallica in Beijing for a historic performance.
“Lang Lang and I want to broaden the appeal and change the perception of classical music to be more acceptable and appealing to young fans. This collaboration definitely made a positive impact,” says Cappo.
“Person-to-person relationships are extremely important in China, and you have to work long and hard to cultivate those relationships,” he says. “If one person in charge leaves before your negotiations conclude, you may have to start the discussion from the beginning again with the new person.”
Every day is a learning experience, he says.
“I’ve learned to never promise more than what you can deliver,” Cappo notes. “In other words, undersell and over-deliver because that may provide the leverage needed to conclude deal or carry it through.”
Setbacks and disagreements are inevitable, he adds.
China is a very diverse market with its own unique characteristics, he says. “You can’t simply duplicate an American-style model of sports and entertainment. That would not do justice to the local market nor be successful.”
“From my experience, you can apply up to about 70 percent of international practices, and the remainder needs to be localized and tailored to each specific market,” he says. “Getting that last bit right is the difference between success and failure.”
The Chinese entertainment market has become more professional and profitable on the Asian touring circuit, and many artists now consider it a must-stop for performances.
Cappo says he is very proud to have played “a small part” in blazing that trail.
“I’ve experienced China’s development at an unprecedented pace that many could not have imagined,” he says. “I’m very honored and fortunate to have been part of that growth — from professional football, basketball, badminton, volleyball and golf to arena-based live entertainment.”
He adds, “You must have passion, persistence, patience and a great team that shares the same vision and mission.”
He recalls the satisfaction of bringing Tiger Woods to Mission Hills in China in 2001, when he was working at IMG.
“We created a 10-year plan with the China Golf Association to develop professional golf here,” he says. “And in 2005, the HSBC Champions was born. It became a World Golf Championship event in 2009. It was the goal from the start to develop the HSBC Champions into Asia’s major and it has been an epic journey.”
Together with the China Golf Association and HSBC, Cappo also developed the HSBC Junior Golf Development Program in 2006 to cultivate future stars of the game.
“The successful young professionals today came from that program, which is very gratifying to see. With a long-term vision on grassroots-level development, future stars will emerge. It just takes time and unwavering commitment.”
China and its people continue to fascinate him. “The Chinese people are dynamic, hard-working entrepreneurs,” he says. “Living and working in China, you learn something new each day. And while frustrating at times, it is anything but boring.”
He is proud to call Shanghai his home.
“Shanghai is a progressive, cosmopolitan, world-class city,” he says. “It is an important market for multinational companies, so they send their best people, who most later go on to global leadership positions and become the titans of their industry. The government leaders in Shanghai are visionary and open to new ideas. I enjoy having the opportunity to work with them.”
He adds, “It is also a dynamic and exciting place to live. My family and I love Shanghai. This city is our home.”
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