Partner-up with Sina, a plot reversal for Manchester United?

The scenario seems to be constantly changing in the race between Premier League rivals Manchester United and Manchester City as they try to attract Chinese fans and exploit the vast yet comparatively untapped market after the former signed a deal with Sina to show its MUTV channel in the world’s most populous country. 

United's rivals Manchester City last month sold a 15 % stake in the club to a Chinese consortium led by CMC. It was believed this would enable them to gain the upper-hand on their rivals and unlock the vast potential for attracting new supporters.

But United have now hosted a joint press conference with Sina in Beijing to officially announce their strategic partnership, making them the first Premier League club to bring a 24/7 dedicated official TV channel to China.  

Arthur Wei, senior vice president of Sina Sports, said: “Manchester United has deservedly won over 100million fans in China and we are excited to see how the club will grow its following through this historic launch. We anticipate this will greatly advance the way China watches and understands the game of football.”

Manchester United Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold, commented, “This is an important and exciting partnership, not only for Manchester United but also for our Chinese fans. The Club works tirelessly on new and innovative ways in which we can engage with our fans and this is a classic example of how our commercial partnerships allow us to do this.”

“MUTV broadcasting in China is not only a first for Manchester United, but also a first for any 24/7 dedicated Premier League club channel. We couldn’t have found a better partner to work with on this than Sina Sports.”

Manchester City believed they had stolen a march on their Premier League rivals after their owners sold a 13 per cent stake in the club's parent company to Chinese investors. 

Some believe the investment deal will open up the vast untapped market in China. But others think that City must try harder to win over the Chinese market. 

According to a report, United had the most support of Premier League fans in China at 31.98 %, followed by Arsenal with 22.65 %, then Chelsea with a similar share. City’s share was 5.47 %. 

From this perspective, City still has a long way to go to compete with its rivals in the Premier League as well as the other giants of European football. 

However, Chinese fans are changeable. They are likely to support strong teams in the world of football so it seems the answer lies with who perform best on the field.

As for now, the scenario on who will finally win Chinese hearts remains unknowable but United’s latest deal will undoubtedly help them build a presence among potential sponsors, as well as reach new fans.

John Thompson, a United fan who has lived in Beijing for eight years, predicted that the service would be popular as long as it remains free, as Chinese fans can already watch Premier League matches for free through the government-owned network BTV.

Proofread by John Devlin