By Sportswriter Spencer Musick
BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup is set to kick off on Saturday in St. Petersburg, with Chinese consumer electronics giant Hisense as a main sponsor of an event that is widely seen as a prelude to the world's top football tournament, also to be held in Russia next year, with Hisense as a major sponsor of that event as well.
Sponsorship deals at major international sporting events are, of course, commonplace. But the timing and substance of this particular partnership are significant in several important respects, all of them relating to corporate responsibility in the world of international sport - a platform for friendly competition that disregards political differences, and allows all countries to compete on the same pitch.
A great deal of attention has been paid of late to the Chinese government's efforts to bolster football in the country. While these measures are a crucial component to the country's wider football development strategy, they are only one part of the picture. Equally important are the efforts of companies like Hisense, who recognize the sheer potential of the beautiful game.
That potential is about more than just increasing the international visibility of a brand - it is about demonstrating commitment to helping football thrive on an international scale, as demonstrated by Hisense President Liu Hongxin's remarks when the deal was inked earlier this year.
"Over the years, Hisense has gained a lot of experience and seen strong brand growth through sports sponsorships...The FIFA World Cup brings together the highest levels of competition and prestige in global football, making it the perfect sports event for us to be a part of," Liu said.
FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura echoed these sentiments, and noted that the deal coincided with the growing popularity of football in China.
"FIFA is delighted to welcome Hisense on board as an Official Sponsor of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. We look forward to working with them to promote the competition, particularly in China, where the company is a market leader in consumer electronics, and where the popularity of football continues to grow," Samoura remarked.
In addition to logo and branding opportunities, the deal will also see Hisense contribute its technical know-how and equipment to FIFA's work at both the Confed and World Cups. This will include a jointly-conducted R&D initiative undertaken along with FIFA to test the boundaries of display technology in a bid to bring a better experience to fans.
Hisense is, of course, no stranger to big sporting event sponsorships. Other major events with which Hisense has partnered include UEFA's Euro 2016, Nascar's XFINITY series, Joe Gibbs Racing, the Australian Open, and the German side FC Schalke 04.
The role that China as a whole will play in the globalization of football going forward is a given. The world's most populous country has traditionally lagged far behind in the sport, and has been sparing no efforts or expenses in bringing itself up to speed in terms of infrastructure, youth training, and professionalization.
But no task of such a gargantuan scale can be undertaken alone or in isolation from the rest of the world. It is crucial for Chinese enterprises to reach out internationally as part of the country's efforts.
The message that will be sent to the world as Hisense's logo is seen throughout the Confed Cup is this: Chinese enterprises like Hisense are ready and willing to play an ever-greater part in the promotion on promulgation of football culture worldwide. Indeed, they are prepared to play a central role in leading this effort. Let's get ready for kickoff!
