{"id":1027,"date":"2017-07-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/reports\/the-fc-barcelona-five-step-guide-to-growth-in-china\/"},"modified":"2022-03-18T12:22:29","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T12:22:29","slug":"fc-barcelona-five-step-guide-growth-china","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/articles\/fc-barcelona-five-step-guide-growth-china\/","title":{"rendered":"The FC Barcelona five-step guide to growth in China"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\n Jul 14, 2017 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The FC Barcelona five-step guide to growth in China<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Category<\/div>\n Brands & Sponsorship<\/a>, Strategy & Commercialisation<\/a> <\/div>\n
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https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/sport-business\/articles\/fc-barcelona-five-step-guide-growth-china\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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Inside the Spanish soccer giant\u2019s strategy for success in Asia.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

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In February this year, Spanish soccer giants FC Barcelona announced a landmark joint venture with Mission Hills, the Shenzen-based sports, hospitality and leisure company best known as the operator of one of the largest golf and entertainment complexes in the world.<\/h4>\n

The alliance will see both parties invest in the creation of the first FC Barcelona-managed soccer academy outside Spain \u2013 in Haikou, the capital city of China\u2019s Hainan Province \u2013 and represents the most significant partnership the club has signed to date in the region.<\/p>\n

And that is no throwaway remark. FC Barcelona currently counts 14 Asian companies among its sponsors \u2013 including five Chinese entities in smartphone manufacturer Oppo, the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Credit Card Centre, tech-driven content company BNN Technology, real estate organisation the Shimao Group, and now Mission Hills. FC Barcelona is almost certainly the single most successful international soccer club in China in terms of commercial partnerships.<\/p>\n

Xavier Asensi is the Managing Director for Asia Pacific for the club. From its regional headquarters in Hong Kong, he oversees all FC Barcelona business in China and across the region. He spoke to Leaders about the strategy that has served the club so well so far.<\/p>\n

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  1. Understand your objectives<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The FC Barcelona Hong Kong office has been operational for four years. Throughout that period, its mandate has remained clear: to search strategic alliances, partnerships and all other possible revenue streams across the Asia Pacific region, while at the same time increasing brand awareness through locally-appropriate channels and communications means. \u201cLet\u2019s not be na\u00efve,\u201d says Asensi. \u201cOf course we are here because we want to build a strong platform to be able to capitalise on it afterwards. The main purpose is commercial. But this is chicken and egg \u2013 brand awareness is capital in terms of being able to monetise afterwards. We\u2019re trying to be seen as as local as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

    2. Invest yourself; avoid seeing China as a money-maker<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cThe issue with football in China is that a lot of the western properties just see China as a money maker,\u201d says Asensi. \u201cWe are here to stay. We\u2019re not here to take the money and run. We are the only ones, together with an English club \u2013 Man Utd \u2013 having a headquarters in Asia Pacific. So we\u2019re investing. There are only two clubs in the world who can say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

    While there are marketing and sponsorship opportunities available in China and across the Asia Pacific region, Asensi and his team have worked hard to understand how FC Barcelona can assist in the wider national goals China has in soccer. Partnering with Mission Hills, which runs 22 championship golf courses across China, and whose facilities also serve as training bases for the country’s tennis and soccer associations, was a long time in the making. \u201cWe invested several million euros with them as well,\u201d says Asensi. \u201cWe\u2019re committed to this idea of investing in China, with Chinese people and Chinese companies.\u201d<\/p>\n