Barcelona partners with IMG to break down the great walls of China

Barcelona.china

By Mark Baber
March 12 – FC Barcelona is making a push in the Chinese market via a new strategic partnership with IMG. The club will be represented in China in the areas of marketing and branding strategy, sponsorships, friendly matches and travel.

Ignacio Mestre, CEO of FC Barcelona: “We are impressed by the work IMG has done in developing football in China. It is the perfect partner for a strategic relationship. China is a very important country for us to connect with our fans and continue to be successful, and it is imperative that we work with a company that understands the Chinese market and has a history of success.”

Robbie Henchman, SVP, Head of IMG Asia Pacific said: “FC Barcelona is an iconic football club with a rich history that reaches around the football world. We are very excited at the idea of working with the Club in China.”

“Our unique experience in China will allow the Club to develop its interests in various areas and strengthen FC Barcelona’s already strong presence in a country that we know very well. We have been at the forefront of the growing football industry in China, especially through our work to cultivate and develop the Chinese Super League (CSL) as a strategic partner of La Liga.”

Barcelona already has a Chinese language web site as well as a presence on WeChat, Tencent and Sina Weibo. In June 2014 Nanjing-based electronics retailer Suning became the Club’s first official Chinese sponsor.

The most recent friendly Barcelona organised for China, in Shanghai, ended up being cancelled but Chinese fans gave a big welcome to Neymar and Messi and other members of the Barcelona squad when Argentina and Brazil met in a friendly in Beijing last September.

IMG have a strong record of achievement in China, having managed numerous events, including taking David Beckham to the country. The company has very strong links with state broadcaster CCTV through IMG-CCTV, and a long-term partnership is in place with the Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL).

With IMG representing their interests, Barcelona should be as well placed as any European club to strengthen their presence in China and build on the enthusiasm of their local fans, one of whom, Zhe Dong, recently hitch-hiked the route from Hubei province, across China, Russia and Europe to Catalonia to see his team play in the Camp Nou.

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