Chinese electronics manufacturer Hisense has nabbed the final place to become a global partner of the Uefa European Championship 2016.
This is the first-ever sponsorship deal between Hisense and Uefa in the championship’s 56-year history.
The company will also sponsor other UEFA-organised national team football competitions until the end of 2017, including the European Qualifiers for the 2018 Fifa World Cup, the Uefa Futsal Euro 2016, the Uefa European Under-21 Championship 2017 and the Uefa Women’s Euro 2017.
As part of the agreement, Hisense is the only manufacturer of televisions, refrigeration products, mobile devices and home appliances that can be a global partner.
Marketing director of Uefa Events SA, Guy-Laurent Epstein, said: “We are excited to welcome Hisense, one of the fastest-growing Chinese brands in Europe and America, as part of our Uefa Euro 2016 partners family. The tournament will offer Hisense a platform second to none to continue their international growth thanks to its established global appeal and brand values. We look forward to working closely together with them in a mutually beneficial partnership that will also further promote the best of European football to millions of fans in China.”
Vice-president of Hisense, Mr Cheng Kaixun, said: “I am honoured we will have the opportunity to be a Global Partner for Uefa Euro 2016. Hisense has been leading Chinese companies in endorsing sports around the world, and we are glad that sports marketing has been an important driver for our worldwide success in the past years. The partnership with Uefa will further boost Hisense’s brand value, and we are excited to celebrate the finest European football with fans from across the globe.”
Hisense joins Uefa’s global partner family alongside Adidas, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Continental, Hyundai-Kia, McDonald’s, Orange, Socar and Turkish Airlines.
The company has also been the team supplier to Infiniti Red Bull Racing, official sponsor of the Australian Open with naming rights to Hisense Arena, and the official premium partner of FC Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga.
With its latest sponsorship rights, it will organise a series of public viewing events alongside Uefa Euro 2016 across Europe in June and July. It also plans to invite 100 Chinese football fans to celebrate the championship in France as part of the campaign.
