AFL Aussie rules football club Port Adelaide has signed sponsorship deals with property development company Greaton and China Southern Airlines as it continues to expand its presence within the Asian market ahead of a game in China next month.
According to Adelaide-based newspaper The Advertiser, the team has signed a one-year deal with Chinese-backed Greaton, which is leading a hotel and apartment development project worth more than A$1.2bn (€855m/$912m) in Adelaide and Sydney.
Greaton’s managing director is Chinese-born, Adelaide-based businessman Nicho Teng, who said the partnership would likely continue beyond the 2017 season.
Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas said the deal would place Greaton as a premium sponsor alongside brands such as Cathay Pacific, RAA and Bank SA. “It’s another great example of how our China Engagement Strategy is working,” he told The Advertiser.
“Nicho supports the idea that it’s good for both China and Australia to do business together and sport is a vehicle, if used properly, to break down those barriers that sometimes occur – whether they be language (or) cultural barriers – and to build relationships and trust. I like to think this will be a long-term relationship. We certainly see Nicho and his business being very good for SA (South Australia).”
Port Adelaide’s deal with China South Airlines will run for two years and will be worth a seven-figure sum, according to The Advertiser.
The deals further strengthen Port Adelaide’s position in the Chinese market, with the club set to play a Premiership fixture against the Gold Coast Suns in Shanghai on May 14. The game will mark the first time a major sports league has staged a regular-season encounter in China.