{"id":7145,"date":"2026-07-15T15:21:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T07:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.boasecohencollins.com\/?p=7145"},"modified":"2026-07-15T15:21:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T07:21:10","slug":"rewriting-rules-for-the-sporting-elite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boasecohencollins.com\/zh-hans\/%e7%bd%91%e8%aa%8c\/rewriting-rules-for-the-sporting-elite\/","title":{"rendered":"Rewriting rules for the sporting elite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Paris, 15 July 2026:<\/strong> The world\u2019s most exclusive tennis club sits atop a distinguished Art Deco building a stone\u2019s throw \u2013 or miscued volley \u2013 from the Eiffel Tower. <a href=\"https:\/\/english.elpais.com\/international\/2026-03-31\/the-most-beautiful-tennis-court-in-the-world-is-hidden-in-a-building-in-paris.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tennis de la Cavalerie<\/a> has only one court, covered by a vaulted wooden ceiling shaped like a honeycomb, and is a throwback to the 1920s. Vintage racquets adorn the walls and players can sip negronis between sets. <em>Tr\u00e8s chic<\/em>. I would pop down to hone my forehand (I\u2019m currently in Paris for a family break) but access is near impossible. La Cavalerie has just 150 members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hong Kong, of course, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/magazines\/post-magazine\/long-reads\/article\/3272561\/opening-doors-whats-future-hong-kongs-private-membership-clubs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">numerous private clubs<\/a>, ancient and modern. The newer ones claim to be more inclusive, relaxed and (relatively) affordable. They offer a sanctuary from our steamy summers and crowded streets, with services that include fine dining, select wines, meeting rooms, gyms, bars, libraries and the like. Think fewer crusty old bankers and more young, upwardly mobile, creative professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The big beasts, though, are those clubs with sporting facilities. These storied institutions \u2013 some dating back to the 19th century \u2013 benefit from long-standing concessionary land premiums granted by the government. Paying a relative pittance under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cstb.gov.hk\/en\/other-information\/prls.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Private Recreational Lease<\/a> regime, their golf courses, football pitches, cricket fields and tennis courts et al take up acres of valuable land in a city notorious for eyewatering real estate prices. Membership fees can be prohibitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An integral part of Hong Kong society or bastions of elitism? The debate rages. Private sports clubs insist they get an unfair rap, pointing out they admit the public under the terms of their current leases. In some instances they run training programmes, assist the disadvantaged and promote charitable causes. I should declare an interest here as a member and past honorary secretary of Hong Kong Football Club. We take our obligations most seriously, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hkfc.com\/about-hkfc\/community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concerted community outreach efforts<\/a> that are as impactful as they are extensive. Not all clubs are so proactive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of our city\u2019s biggest international and domestic sporting events \u2013 think golf, football, cricket and hockey as examples \u2013 are staged at private sports clubs. Thus, the argument goes, they already support the government in promoting sport in Hong Kong (a hot topic these days, given our recent Olympic success). Further, they help make our city a desirable destination for executive talent, provide employment opportunities and \u2013 in some cases \u2013 preserve historic sites and buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dissenters want them shown the red card: such establishments are a colonial legacy, they insist, serving a privileged few rather than benefitting the general public; the authorities should not use precious land resources to subsidise the private entertainment of a small number of citizens; their facilities are underused and, in any event, overlap with those provided by the authorities. And so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, though, arrives a day of reckoning. Some 15 private sports clubs have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/society\/article\/3358918\/hong-kong-private-sports-clubs-must-pay-land-premiums-or-open-doors-leases-end\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">formally notified<\/a> they must either pay one-third of their land premium \u2013 ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars \u2013 or fully open their doors when their leases expire at the end of this year. The move comes after a 2018 public consultation and subsequent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cstb.gov.hk\/file_manager\/en\/documents\/consultation-and-publications\/consultation-prls\/public_consultation_report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">policy review<\/a> detailing next steps. Hence, the clubs have received plenty of notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have a choice: open up 30% of their sports capacity to outsiders, co\u2011host at least 240 hours of public activities each month (up from the 50 hours mandated under earlier renewals) and pay the premium (at least 10% upfront and the rest over 10 years with interest); or convert to a community recreation lease, which would end their private status, restore a symbolic ground rent and require full public access with low\u2011cost pricing. All appear to be opting for the former. Lawmaker Adrian Ho calls it a \u201cfair arrangement\u201d, one that will also generate substantial revenue for the administration. Senior government adviser Ronny Tong also welcomes the \u201creasonable\u201d new regime and predicts none of the flush 15 will fold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Certainly not the hallowed Hong Kong Golf Club, founded in 1889 and occupying 425 acres of prime real estate in the New Territories. It has deeper pockets than most and, in any event, is concerned with more pressing matters, namely a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/law-and-crime\/article\/3345312\/hong-kong-government-says-golf-course-flats-study-has-no-legal-effect-appeal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">long-running legal battle<\/a> to stop the government reclaiming a parcel of land to build flats. Amid this litigation, the club pledges to \u201cproactively engage\u201d with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau over its lease renewal. Of course it will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A penny for Ronald Sum\u2019s thoughts. A high-profile and vastly experienced lawyer, Ronald takes a particular interest in sports law and has done much to promote this fast-evolving practice area. He reviews his diverse and entertaining career as my latest guest on <em>Law &amp; More<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/1750709\/episodes\/19450987-episode-68-ronald-sum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Please listen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In closing, I should mention France is waking up with a sore head after yesterday\u2019s Bastille Day celebrations (somewhat marred by the agony of a World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain). The biggest day in the nation\u2019s calendar, 14 July marks the anniversary of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/storming-of-the-Bastille\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Storming of the Bastille<\/a> during the French Revolution, when a seething mob besieged the medieval prison seen as a symbol of the monarchy\u2019s abuse of power. Insurgents scaled the walls, cut drawbridge chains and overpowered guards in a grim battle that claimed more than 100 lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In all, a rather more dramatic way of compelling an institution \u2013 albeit one not so salubrious \u2013 to open its doors to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Until next time, everybody!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Colin Cohen<\/strong><br><strong>Senior Partner<\/strong><br><strong>Boase Cohen &amp; Collins<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paris, 15 July 2026: The world\u2019s most exclusive tennis  [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-54"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rewriting rules for the sporting elite - 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