German Bundesliga side Schalke 04 has become the latest top European football club to enter into a partnership with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei.
The deal will run for two years, from 2014-15 to 2015-16.
Under the agreement, Huawei will become a premium partner of the club.
Huawei will support Schalke with a range of IT services including the provision of a new wireless local area network at the club’s Veltins-Arena home stadium.
The company will also benefit from branding on LED advertising boards inside the Veltins-Arena, in addition to relevant background sponsorship panels in the stadium’s mixed zones and media centre.
Alexander Jobst, marketing director at Schalke, said the partnership would help expand the club’s presence in China, where Huawei is headquartered. Jobst said: “China is an important market for us; we recently established a Chinese club media world – that includes an internet presence and social-media activities. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Huawei in numerous projects over the next years.”
Schalke will be the latest club to join Huawei’s portfolio of top European sides, with the company having recently agreed deals with Dutch Eredivisie champion Ajax and French Ligue 1 winner Paris Saint-Germain. Huawei also has deals in place with Italian Serie A giant AC Milan and English Premier League club Arsenal.