In a gala event AC Milan were awarded the prestigious award of China’s Sport’s Team of the Year with Adriano Galliani present to receive the accolade alongside other dignitaries.

It is a significiant achievement for the club as Asia, particularly China, represents a real opportunity in economic terms.

Successfully marketing the AC Milan brand into Asia is critical. Much like it was during the Age of Imperialism, though this time in a much more cordial fashion, most major European clubs are seeking financially rewarding ventures into Asia with the aim of securing a piece of the market share.

With the Eurozone crisis and the fiscal deterioration of the United States, Asia is where new money can be found. This has been known for some time but events ever since the GFC in 2008 and have only made this clearer.

Populations are rising across the region, and as with China, many Asian countries are seeing a rapid increase in the number of middle class citizens, who are the consumers driving their economic growth.

But, even more significant than the award are the numbers that were revealed in regard to Milan’s Chinese success.

The China market accounts for 18 per cent of Adidas Milan’s total business. Milan products sold in China make up 37 per cent of the top clubs sponsored by the German brand, which makes the club number one. An impressive feat considering clubs like Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid also wear Adidas equipment.

But, perhaps best of all, it was said that a recent survey conducted by Titan Sports showed that Milan are the best supported foreign club in China with 31 per cent of the local market, ahead of the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United who have long been regarded as the biggest brand in the East.

Not to sound propagandist, but, it shows the great work Milan have been doing in ensuring the economic future of the club by capitalising on the great brand that is AC Milan.

What has been achieved has not only been the work of AC Milan, but, of the FIGC too who played their role in taking the Italian Super Cup to China this year.

Looking again at some numbers proves that this was a highly successful ploy with the TIM Super Cup being watched by an estimated 72 million viewers in China along and 300 million worldwide. It remains the most watched sporting event in China this year.

The club has also established a Milan School in Hong Kong while there are talks of establishing formal links with two local clubs.

Such developments, which are already proving successful, bode well for the future of AC Milan. It is the Asian century after all and the clubs that will reap the greatest benefits from the region are those that establish themselves within it in the early stages, which is what Milan is doing.

Source: acmilanblog.net

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