April 25 – Manchester City has expanded its partnership with London-listed but China focussed technology, content and services company BNN. The new deal will see the club deliver coaching programmes and unique content via the Xinhua News mobile app.
BNN already is Arsenal’s official lottery partner in China and delivers unique content into the marketplace via the Xinhua News app. The company also signed a deal with Barcelona at the end of last year.
The Man City deal will see BNN develop grassroots public participation programmes to boost the level of playing and coaching in China. Unlike many other programmes this one is aimed at older players rather than youth. Working through their Chinese partner NewNet a programme of four football clinics involving up to 144 players of 18 year or older.
The clinics will take place in May in Beijing and Hangzhou under the watchful eyes of three coaches from the City Football Schools programme. A further clinic for 32 players will be held in June in Manchester at the club’s training complex.
Players win places at the clinics through a free-to-enter competition on BNN’s Manchester City microsite within the Xinhua News app. Players may nominate themselves or can be nominated by others with the individuals with the greatest number of votes from friends and family selected to attend the clinics, with all expenses paid.
It is creating content and driving it through the Xinhua app that is at the core of the deal which will expand the Man City brand in China.
Content will include manager interviews, pre-match press conferences, weekly news bulletin videos, weekly training footage and news articles. Chinese fans can participate in free-to-enter prize draws, fully paid VIP trips to watch matches at the Etihad Stadium, as well as competitions to win merchandise.
BNN’s core business is providing technology to partners to facilitate fulfilment of payments online and on mobile apps through partnerships or affiliate agreements with corporate and key government partners, and, developing digital content, both online and mobile. The company says the Chinese consumer shift to ‘life on mobile’ is only just beginning and it is positioning itself to be at the forefront of that change.
Darren Mercer, Chief Executive of BNN Technology, said: “City’s expertise and input will be hugely valuable as our Chinese operating partner NewNet builds a programme that will help to improve grassroots playing standards throughout China. We firmly believe that football is a powerful force for promoting social engagement, enriching day-to-day lives and in turn strengthening the base of our consumer focused operations.”
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