Investment in soccer industry increasing in China
Updated: 2015-11-23 07:16
By Emma Gonzalez(China Daily)
|
|||||||||||
A group of children pose for the camera during a training session organized by Sport8 in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Figo is a former FIFA World Player of the Year and had an outstanding career at Real Madrid. WinningLeague is a major sports event company in China, while the academy is the largest private soccer school in the capital.
Opened in 2014, it now has 14 centers in different cities across the country, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Dalian, and employs 45 professional Portuguese coaches to train children between 4 and 12 years old.
"We will open four more schools in January as there is a high demand for these type of centers in China," Joaquim Preto, technical director at the academies, said, without disclosing financial figures. The chain of soccer schools has more than 4,000 students each paying 70 yuan ($11.1) for a one-hour training session, according to Preto.
Qiu Yi, a physical education teacher, decided to enroll his son at the Figo Academy because of the highly respected foreign coaching team.
"It is not just that they know the sport better, they also understand the kids better," Qiu said. "He now trains three times a week and he could not be happier."
In July, one of Italy's Serie A glamor clubs, Inter Milan, signed a five-year partnership deal with Yitao Shanghai soccer club to launch an academy in China, without disclosing financial details.
The Inter Academy works with 20 soccer schools, with 2,000 students, including the Jin Tao center. The training team comprises of two coaches from Italy and 80 from China.
"There will be 30 centers in the Shanghai area and the aim is to reach 100 soccer schools by the end of next year," Marco Monti, the Inter Academy technical director, said.
"As you can appreciate, the use of the Inter Academy brand does have a cost, but partners receive lots of commercial rights and these can be very beneficial."
Other major academies are in the works. Barcelona, which already has a soccer clinic in Wuhan, Hubei province, plans to open another one next month in Qingdao, Shandong province, in collaboration with Huanghai Pharmaceutical.
Under the deal, the Spanish club will send a team to recruit and train local coaches. Huanghai, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in China, will construct and manage the training ground.
"China is a strategic market and extremely important for the club," Oscar Grau, director of Barcelona, said, adding that the center will coach more than 500 students.
Huanghai Pharmaceuticals and the Soccer Federation of Wuhan will cover tuition fees at the Barcelona academies, although they have yet to disclose detailed financial figures.
In the long-term, the creation of soccer clinics could generate commercial dividends for Chinese companies.
"Just think about it. If one of the academies found a single youngster that was good enough to play for a major club in Europe, it would produce huge marketing opportunities for those involved here," Yao at Oceans said.
Related Stories
Soccer frenzy draws crowds, sponsors 2015-08-06 11:25
TV rights for Chinese soccer sell for 8b yuan 2015-10-29 07:13
Bayern cashes in on Chinese fans' frenzy for European soccer 2015-05-28 07:00
Chinese HNA group in talks to buy Spanish soccer team 2015-09-17 17:48
China's Wanda completes merger of World Triathlon Corporation 2015-11-20 07:56
Today's Top News
Fiscal subsidies and contributions can bridge pension fund deficit
Timeline set for 16-country trade pact
At least 27 dead after Islamists seize Mali hotel
Talking the talk
170 taken hostage in Mali, Chinese tourists trapped
China pledges to achieve cuts to greenhouse gases
CGN considers solar power foray in France
Suspected mastermind of Paris attacks died
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Xi just needs to turn up for a grand welcome |
Stepping up |
Rural families still hope for male heirs |
Blue skies over Beijing ... for now |
V-Day parade for 70th WWII anniversary |
Tianjin blasts: Death, damage and bravery |