Alex Lam (real name Lam Thien Chi) was born in 1999, with a bachelor's degree in International Business (University of California, USA). Passionate about sports and music , Alex Lam embarked on the path of content creation (YouTuber), releasing a number of songs as a rapper. Realizing that music was just a temporary side trip, Alex Lam returned to Vietnam to fulfill his dream of more than 10 years: Organizing professional badminton tournaments, hoping to bring this sport back to its rightful place on the Vietnamese sports map. From here, BLAB Friendly was born, laying the foundation for this Gen Z's long-term plan.
Alex Lam - Founder and CEO of BLAB Sport & Entertainment
Photo: NVCC
"I have been involved in badminton for more than 15 years and always wanted this sport to be recognized for its true value. BLAB Friendly 2025 is the first step and a milestone to make my dream come true. This is both a playground and a demonstration of the pioneering aspiration to create quality tournaments for the country's sports ," said Alex Lam.
After nearly two decades of pursuing this sport, Alex Lam expressed that badminton has given him a strong belief that sports can shape the lifestyle and culture of a generation. His thinking is also increasingly different. "I believe that Vietnam is not inferior to international friends in terms of quality and opportunity, we just need more investment and the right direction. For me, badminton is a potential land for development, and I want to accompany to make it come true," he said.
BLAB Friendly 2025 badminton tournament receives attention from athletes and people who love this sport
Photo: NVCC
Currently holding the role of Founder and CEO of BLAB Sport & Entertainment, this 9X emphasized that he is a person who loves sports very much, always eager to contribute to the country's sports industry, specifically pioneering the combination of sports and entertainment. "I wish to see my homeland develop more and more, and want to send a message that Vietnamese people who have studied or worked abroad should return to contribute to bringing Vietnam further. That is the reason I chose this step, combining sports with entertainment to build long-term values for the community," Alex Lam said.
BLAB Friendly 2025: More than just a tournament
BLAB Friendly 2025 was granted license No. 2930/SVHTT-TDTT by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee (Department of Culture and Sports). The organizing committee said that BLAB Friendly 2025 applies the standards of international badminton tournaments prescribed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), including criteria on court size, net type, competition equipment, competition rules (serving and scoring), promoting transparency and fairness, and sportsmanship. In order to attract a large number of amateur and semi-professional athletes and many potential faces because of the difference with other amateur tournaments, the organizing committee also invested in using the most expensive shuttlecock in the world for the matches.
BLAB Friendly 2025 impresses with its organization with international standards
Photo: NVCC
Athletes compete with Yonex-AS50 shuttlecocks, which cost about 1.4 million VND for a tube of 12 shuttlecocks (116,000 VND/socket). This shuttlecock is famous for its high quality, durability and optimal stability for the shuttlecock, so it is used in most major international tournaments. Each shuttlecock produced by this company is extensively inspected and tested to ensure 100 shuttlecocks are the same.
"I invested like this because I want to lay a solid foundation for larger tournaments in the future, contributing to bringing the Vietnamese badminton community closer to international standards. This is also our way of honoring the efforts and dedication of the athletes," said Alex Lam.
BLAB Friendly's first prize is 10 million VND in cash and gifts. This is a high prize compared to the average level of grassroots tournaments. Meanwhile, the second prize is 5 million VND and the third prize is 2 million VND.
Photo: NVCC
He said that badminton has been labeled "popular" for many years, while this was once a sport that brought Vietnam into the top 5 and top 10 in the world. Alex Lam's generous spending of his own money to organize the tournament is his way of showing that this is a sport that deserves to be developed more. "Either do it now, or it will always be a dream. From core elements such as organization, operation to community thinking, we must change first. BLAB was born to ignite that change, creating a new turning point for this sport," Alex Lam said. Regarding capital, Alex Lam has mobilized all his financial resources and of course, he has to ensure his family life because he just welcomed his first princess not long ago.
After BLAB Friendly 2025 ends, Alex Lam said he is determined to organize the tournament annually. "I hope that badminton tournaments in Vietnam will become more and more exciting. My ultimate goal is that one day, Vietnam will have many players reaching the top positions in the world, just like Thailand has done in the past," Alex Lam added.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/gen-z-bo-tien-tui-to-chuc-blab-friendly-2025-toi-muon-cau-long-tro-lai-vi-tri-xung-dang-185250913154306708.htm
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