Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 have opened an office in Shanghai, China strengthening their presence in the market and enhancing their connection with local fans. The office opened on December 1 but the official announcement was made in the middle of December both in China and globally. 

The Shanghai office will serve as the headquarters for Asia according to the club’s announcement on its website.  

The Managing Director of Schalke 04 (Shanghai) Sports Consulting Ltd. is Philipp Rütgers, who previously worked as Head of Partnerships in Bayern München’s Shanghai office. 

FC Schalke 04 have been quite active in the Chinese market in recent years. Since 2016, the club have travelled to China for friendlies every summer and have reached a collaboration with the CSL team Hebei China Fortune FC and the Kunshan government in Jiangsu Province regarding youth training. 

Schalke’s Marketing Director, Alexander Jobst, commented on the new office, “We want to further strengthen our position. Through our presence in the market, we now have the opportunity to further grow and improve our contact with the fans and to deepen our partnerships with sponsors and media representatives.” 

References: FC Schalke 04 and Weibo 

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick