LaLiga Ramps Up Efforts In Fans Engagement In China

SHANGHAI, October 28th, 2018 – LaLiga, the top football league in Spain brings the first LaLiga El Clásico of the 2018/19 season to share the excitement of this global event with the fans in China. The live coverage of ‘El Clásico’ in Shanghai, gathering lucky LaLiga fans for a unique experience at a specially organized LaLiga public viewing event. Captured through over thirty units of 4K cameras inside the Camp Nou stadium, the match provided worldwide LaLiga fans with real-time access to a perfect entertainment spectacle. The ‘El Clásico’ viewing held on the bank of Huangpu river was also attended by LaLiga Ambassadors Patrick Kluivert, the former FC Barcelona winger, Fernando Sanz, who spent 11 seasons playing in LaLiga for Real Madrid and Malaga CF, and Wang Dalei, the Ambassador of LaLiga’s Official Timekeeper, TAG Heuer.

Photo: Fans and attendees watching the live broadcast of El Clásico

Photo: From Left to Right - Yang Lu Yi, Senior Marketing Manager of EA Sports; Zhang Shuo, Vice President of Super Sports; Zhang Le, Deputy General Manager of LaLiga Greater China; Jordi Camps, Managing Director APAC of FC Barcelona; Patrick Kluivert, LaLiga Ambassador; Sergi Torrents, Managing Director of LaLiga Greater China; Fernando Sanz, LaLiga Ambassador and Managing Director of LaLiga MENA; Steve Lau, Managing Director of Activation Group; Kathy Zhou, General Manager of Activation Sports; Sam Liu, Vice President of Marketing, TAG Heuer Greater China; Li Zhe, Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Sokon

 “We are thrilled to once again share this huge occasion and experience with our Chinese football fans, media partners and guests”, said Sergi Torrents, LaLiga’s Managing Director of Greater China. “LaLiga is committed to bringing fans in China the unique LaLiga experience and continue to strengthen the presence in the Chinese market.” 

Photo: Sergi Torrents, Managing Director of LaLiga Greater China

In 2017/2018 season, LaLiga had over 3 billion viewers worldwide and was presented in 182 countries through 85 broadcasters. The league is reaching out to all corners of the world as a global entertainment brand that sets the standard for football in the world.

Photo: LaLiga’s global broadcaster distribution

In recent years, LaLiga has continued to bolster technological innovation and immerse itself fully in the digital sector to connect with its fans. It has embraced diversified social platforms to reach and engage with the new generation of fans in China, including establishing new engagement channels on China’s leading social platforms Tik Tok and Toutiao. Now fans in China can learn everything they need in real time about the match and remain updated with the latest news from the league and clubs. Moreover, LaLiga has embarked on a new eSports adventure with EA Sports and debuted the LaLiga eSports team for the first time outside of Spain. In collaboration with the China eSports Football League (CEFL) and Tencent, three players were picked by LaLiga to participate in a two-legged tie knockout on FIFA Online 4 against CEFL All-stars in Chongqing, China. Through the eSports projects, LaLiga is able to bring itself closer to young generation on a global scale.

Photo: LaLiga eSports team’s debut in Chongqing event

Beyond real-life and eSports matches, in 2019 the TV series “The Emergence of First Love”, produced by LaLiga Club and its partner Mango TV, will be released, becoming the first professional football-related TV series in China endorsed by LaLiga. Since its announcement last year, “Greenfield of Love” has become one of the most anticipated TV series for both football and TV series fans, as many LaLiga football clubs are featured in the filming shooting venues, the overseas production scenes in Spain will be one of the highlights of the show. 

Photo: Key vision of “Greenfield of Love”

Kathy Zhou, the General Manager of Activation Sports added that, “ ‘The Emergence of First Love’ took more than 18 months of preparation, 4 months of filming and the final scenes plus editing was completed in September. The TV series is slated to air on MGTV during the period of Chinese New Year.”

Photo: Kathy Zhou, General Manager of Activation Sports

“Apart from the TV series, LaLiga Club also brought a range of novel, immersive experiences and activities to LaLiga fans here. From the El Clásico public viewing events to LaLiga Carnivals rolling out in several key cities in China, we will reach over 50,000 fans in our projects. LaLiga Club will continue to create a 360-interactive platform to enhance LaLiga’s fan experience.” Zhou added.

Photo: LaLiga Club Carnival

LaLiga is ramping up in bringing the competition closer to fans in China and worldwide, offering them a unique entertainment experience. More than just a football league, LaLiga is an integrated sports and entertainment brand by the virtue of its ground-breaking initiatives, which is not something surprising, because “It’s not football, It’s LaLiga.”

About LaLiga

Founded in 1984, LaLiga (Liga de Fútbol Profesional) is a sports association comprising 42 teams that make up the first and second divisions of professional football in Spain. LaLiga, based in Madrid and with a permanent office in Shanghai, is responsible for the LaLiga Santander and LaLiga 123 leagues and the television production, which in the 2017/2018 season reached more than 3.0 billion people globally. The association also has an active foundation and is the world’s only professional football league with a league for intellectually challenged footballers: LaLiga Genuine.

About LaLiga Club

In October 2016, LaLiga and Activation Group set up LaLiga Club in China to bring the pure Spanish football experience to LaLiga fans and open channels for sports lovers to understand and experience LaLiga culture. LaLiga club is committed to developing and creating a 360-interactive platform for fans experience, LaLiga fans in China connect with Spanish football experience. With the continuous development of technology, more channels for sports enthusiasts to understand and experience LaLiga culture will be created by providing a variety of innovative and unique entertainment and leisure options.

About Activation Group

Activation Group has long been a highly acclaimed and respected marketing strategist for many top and mid-range brands. With expertise in areas such as branding/advertising, experiential marketing, digital marketing, media PR, sports and entertainment marketing, Activation Group has established successful brand images and strong reputations for numerous clients. 

As the marketing strategy leader in Greater China, Activation Group also possesses experts in sports fields, management experience in large-scale outdoor projects, cutting-edge digital technologies and a comprehensive coverage of media and social network resources across the country and overseas. Not only do Activation Group organize the Chinese race of ‘Le Tour de France’, but they’ve also established together with LaLiga the high-end football platform of LaLiga Club to further promote lifestyle upgrade in the areas of entertainment and sports.