Empty Offices and Unpaid Claims: Basketball IP ‘Lu Ren Wang’ Reportedly Shuts Down

For many basketball fans in China, “Lu Ren Wang” was more than just a tournament; it was a premier showcase of streetball talent and a cornerstone of the domestic basketball IP landscape. But for some of the people behind the scenes, the brand’s legacy is currently overshadowed by a sudden, silent collapse. Reports have surfaced that the operating company behind the basketball赛事IP “Lu Ren Wang” has effectively ceased operations, leaving employees—including one returning from maternity depart—to identify their workplace abandoned and their compensation claims ignored.

The situation came to light through the experience of Ms. Tang, a Shanghai-based employee who joined the organization in February 2023. Tang was employed via Shanghai Kuhuang Technology Co., Ltd., a firm controlled by Shanghai Lu Ren Wang Information Technology Co., Ltd. After taking pregnancy-related leave in July 2023 and beginning her formal maternity leave in late October, Tang was scheduled to return to her post on April 3, 2026.

However, the return was not as planned. In late March, Tang attempted to contact company leadership via DingTalk to coordinate her return to perform. When those messages went unanswered, she reached out to the company’s human resources department. The response she received was blunt: the HR representative informed her that “everyone has left the company.”

When Tang inquired about severance and compensation, she was told that “no one received compensation.” Tang stated she could not accept a voluntary termination of her contract, as the company had effectively vanished. On April 2, Tang visited the office only to find the doors locked and the premises stripped of computers and materials.

This appears to be the final act of a longer decline. Another former employee, referred to as Mr. Zhang, joined the company in October 2021, also under the Shanghai Kuhuang Technology contract. Zhang reported that the company began laying off basketball players as early as June 2023. As a staff member serving the players, Zhang was eventually cut as well. According to Zhang, by the time the finals concluded in January, nearly all remaining employees had been laid off.

For those unfamiliar with the brand’s trajectory, “Lu Ren Wang” was originally launched in 2016 as an internal IP by the sports community giant Hupu. In 2020, it transitioned into an independent entity to scale its operations as a domestic public basketball tournament brand. Its sudden disappearance marks a sharp turn for a property that once aimed to professionalize the streetball circuit.

The legal fallout is now centering on the Shanghai Hongkou District Labor Security Supervision Brigade. On April 7, officials from the brigade addressed the situation, providing a roadmap for affected workers. The department stated that if a company “closes its doors” and employees believe their labor relationship was terminated by the employer, they have the right to seek economic compensation.

According to the labor authorities, employees should first apply for labor mediation. If mediation fails to produce a resolution, the workers can then apply for labor arbitration to legally demand their economic compensation.

The case highlights a precarious reality for employees in the rapidly evolving sports IP sector, where the distance between a high-profile tournament and a locked office door can be surprisingly short. For Ms. Tang and her former colleagues, the focus has shifted from managing a basketball brand to navigating the complexities of the Chinese labor legal system.

The next critical checkpoint for the affected employees will be the filing and processing of labor arbitration claims through the Hongkou District authorities to determine if and how the parent entities will settle their outstanding financial obligations.

Do you think the rise and fall of independent sports IPs is a symptom of a larger trend in the industry? Share your thoughts in the comments below.