| As one of the top topics in both scholarly and practical fields of sport sponsorship, ambush marketing research usually focuses on protection of the sports sponsor's rights and prevention strategies. According to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) (2008) marketing report, the Chinese government did a great job in preventing ambush marketing. Since five years passed, whether China can maintain a high-performing sponsor protection record after the Olympics should be evaluated.;The study reveal ambush marketing is with the background that China possesses a socialist political background while having a period of capitalistic economic development. The importance of the government's role in maintaining the socialistic culture in economic development cannot be neglected. Also, the triangulated contemporary culture (includes traditional, communism and capitalism) is a big influence to the "Chinese characteristics" in the country's sport sponsorship.;Keywords: sport sponsorship, China, ambush marketing, experts.;In response to the question, the investigator conducted a qualitative study involving 11 semi-structured interviews of subject-matter experts and a material/archive content analysis. The interviewees chosen were experts from various types of organizations including: (1) government, (2) sports organizations, (3) companies involved in sports sponsorship, (4) sports media, and (5) academic research institutions in China. The interviews aimed at revealing further insights into how ambush campaigns are perceived within China as well as to further its possible sociological and economical causes. Results revealed that although ambush marketing was regulated during the 2008 Summer Olympics, it is still common in China. The current situation of ambush marketing in China is shaped by five factors including: (1) media, (2) legal system, (3) government relationships, (4) event organizers' experience, and (5) contemporary culture. |
