July 27 – Former Premier League club Aston Villa, battling to return to former glories and top flight status after a season in the Championship, are still able to attract high end sponsors with Hisense unveiled as the club’s new official technology partner.
Hisense, a white goods and electronics company based in China’s east-coast city of Qingdao but operating in the UK via its Leeds-based subsidiary, has recently increased its football sponsorships with official sponsorship of FIFA’s 2017 Confederations Cup and 2018 World Cup. The company was also a sponsor of Euro 2016 in a deal that sees it sponsor UEFA national team competitions until the end of 2017.
The club deal with Hisense UK will include “fan engagement, sponsorship maximisation and brand presence at home games over the course of the 2017/18 season,” according to a club press release. No value was put on the deal.
Aston Villa was sold to China’s Recon Group in May 2016 after former US owner Randy Lerner agreed to sell the club to the company’s CEO and chairman, Dr Tony Jiantong Xia.
The deal with Hisense is significant as it shows indicates the networking opportunity Chinese club owners potentially have into their domestic market. Xia, when taking over at Aston Villa, said his ambition was for a speedy return to the Premier League and for the club to be son after competing in European competition. Villa have signed former Chelsea and England captain John Terry to lead that charge this season.
Rongtian He, executive assistant to the chairman and overseas business officer, said: “We are delighted to work with Hisense, a globally known Chinese brand.
“Despite Hisense being known to football globally, we are very proud to become their first football partner in England and in assisting them in achieving key strategic goals for their UK business.
“Securing Hisense is testament to the new approach we have toward our partnerships, focusing on delivering tangible returns for our partners through the new commercial team being assembled here.
“We look forward to working with Hisense and developing the relationship to potentially incorporate some of the wider, international projects led by Recon Group.”
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