Yutang Weekly (7.20-7.25)

‍‍‍‍Evergrande Spring partners with Bayern Munich

Guangzhou Evergrande FC held a joint press conference with Evergrande Spring and Bayern Munich FC yesterday to announce a three-year deal between the Guangzhou-based mineral water producer and Bundesliga giants. The deal will see Evergrande Spring, a subsidiary of the Evergrande Group, become a regional sponsor of Bayern Munich until 2018. But financial terms were not revealed. The agreement covers the use of brand image rights in China. This has been seen on stadium advertising boards during the Audi Summer Tour 2015 and will also involve a TV commercial featuring FC Bayern players in China. Bottles of FC Bayern mineral water will also be sold in retail outlets.

Huawei extends Ajax Cape Town sponsorship

Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has renewed its partnership with football side, Ajax Cape Town, for another year. Huawei agreed a provisional two-year deal with Ajax Cape Town last October and retains the option to extend for another two seasons at the end of the current term. Huawei had the right to review the arrangement after one year. The Ajax Cape Town sponsorship announced last year was the first such deal in South Africa for the global smartphone brand. Ajax Cape Town players will receive Huawei devices and accessories under the partnership and serve as brand ambassadors. 

Letv Sports to start fundraising Series B

A co-founder and deputy president of Letv, named Liu Hong, lately revealed that Letv Sports, as the emerging online sports media entity in China, is looking to raise its second round of funding. After securing $129m from investors in the first round of fundraising, Letv Sports now aims to “create a fairy tale” in sports media sector by proceeding fundraising Series B. According to media reports, Letv Sports could seal around $3b of funds this time. 

Letv Sports signs partnership deal with UEFA

Letv Sports has announced a deal with Union of European Football Association (UEFA) on July 16 under which Letv has acquired rights for a number of UEFA properties in China. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Letv Sports has secured rights to UEFA Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup covering the next three seasons starting from 2015-16, with the agreement giving Letv Sports rights to live stream up to 341 matches per season in China.

Letv Sports secures football rights from MP & Silva agent

Letv Sports has signed a strategic collaboration with the MP & Silva agency under which the sports-rights venture, which is operated by Chinese IPTV operator Letv, has acquired rights for a number of properties in China. Letv Sports has secured rights for football’s top-tier Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1 and Belgian Pro League plus English football’s FA Cup, Football League Championship and Capital One Cup. The deal also includes rights to the Scottish Professional Football League, Brazil national team global tour football matches, England national football teams and the recently-concluded 2015 Copa America national team tournament. 

Double Group to acquire DeSports at RMB820 million

Wuhan Double Co., Ltd, or Double Group, a listed investment company in China, has reportedly announced a plan at Shanghai Exchange to fully acquire a sports marketing company named DeSports (Double-Edged Sports) at RMB820m. Under the plan Double Group will offer the shareholders of DeSports both shares worth RMB8.09 million and RMB11m cash. DeSports, as Double Group revealed, would take advantage of their resources and platform to grow in sports tourism, sports videos and sports brokerage. DeSports lately partnered with Spanish sports agency Media Base Sports.