From Chelsea FC to Bayern Munich, global brands eye post-Covid recovery in China’s sports market
- China is home to a large number of sports fans and a strategically important market, executives say at an industry summit in Macau
- Policy support measures and post-Covid sports activities have contributed to a growing market in China, analysts say
Getting closer to or establishing a presence in China is strategically important for top sports clubs, Ben Wiggins, partnerships strategic lead for Asia-Pacific at Chelsea Football Club in London, said during the Greater Bay Area International Sports Business Summit in Macau on Saturday.
“We have some 50 million fans in China, a lot of which are based in the Greater Bay Area,” Wiggins said. “What we think and hope will follow is a greater level of activations in the market with new and existing partners.”
For Bayern Munich, a top-ranking German football club, China is not just home to the largest number of its international fans, but also a key arena for growth.
“We’re trying to bring here to China our initiatives, whether it’s [for] fans or partnerships,” said Matthias Brosamer, head of sports in Asia at the club. “We want to be connected with the people here in China.”
The event, themed “connecting the world through sports” and supported by Macau’s sports bureau and Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, brought together more than 300 influential decision makers from the sports business community. Together, they were tasked with charting the future course of the city’s sports sector.
