The Chinese Super League, the online retail platform Tmall and the sports company Shankai, together announced two partnerships among them on September 12 in Beijing. Tmall becomes the Premier Comprehensive E-commerce Partner of the Chinese Super League for the next five years. Shankai becomes the exclusive operator of Chinese Super League merchandises and the exclusive operator of the league’s and the clubs’ Tmall merchandise flagship stores. 

Under this partnership between CSL and Tmall, Tmall obtains the rights to use the designation of CSL premier partner, to have access to the LED advertising around the pitch, to have activation on media and to promote the partnership. 

Shankai is said to have contributed to the communication between Chinese Super League Company and Tmall on this partnership. If it is true, then the company surely have got a role and some return in the deal-- obtaining the exclusive right to manage the league’s merchandise business and to run the both the league’s and all of the CSL clubs’ merchandise stores on Tmall. 

The partnership is in alliance with Tmall’s strategic goals, according to media reports of the partnership. “Happiness” and “Health” are two new developing strategies of Tmall this year who claim they have 600 million users. The partnership with the CSL is helpful in implementing the “Health” strategy, besides helping Tmall to gain bigger influence in China and overseas. 

Shankai Sports have always been more known for their sports ticketing businesses. By becoming the exclusive operator of CSL merchandise, Shankai maybe want to tap into the potential value of the league’s merchandise sector. 

Source: Sina Sports