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Reuters

A Chinese club could one day be a bigger brand than Manchester United and it is only a matter of time before the Super League challenges the English Premier League for world domination, according to leading sports marketer Andrew Georgiou.
Georgiou, the chief executive of Lagardere Sports and Entertainment, said that the world order was changing fast.
“I think China has the financial capability to become the biggest league in the world,” said the Australian, whose company is partner to more than 100 European football clubs as well as working with a number of confederations including Asia.
“I think [the CSL] will overtake the Premier League at some point. The only part that I don’t know is how long it will take.”

Driven by football-loving President Xi Jinping, who wants China to host the World Cup in 2030 and win it by 2050, Chinese clubs – whose 14th season started on Friday – have spent heavily on star players.
It is estimated that the Super League’s 16 clubs spent a combined US$411 million in the Chinese transfer window.
Chinese Super League opener answers some questions and asks some new ones
Shanghai Shenhua bought 32-year-old Argentina striker Carlos Tevez from Boca Juniors in December, making him the sport’s highest paid player with a reported salary of US$753,000 per week.
Shanghai SIPG spent around US$63m to lure Brazilian Oscar from Chelsea, while companies from China have also spent heavily on buying into foreign clubs.

Georgiou pointed to the rapid growth of an affluent middle class in China, with talk of 550 million in that bracket by 2020 compared to 150 million in 2009, as a driving force.
“So you’ve got a spending power in China that’s so huge, it’s going to dominate. In Europe there’s 700 million people but 56 leagues. In China, there’s one league. So you’ve got that spending power focused at the moment on 16 clubs,” he said.
Andre Villas-Boas promises Shanghai SIPG president return on investment this season
“The demand in China for this product is going to be well beyond what people can comprehend today.
“Our business has been out there for 25 to 30 years waiting for this ... change to happen and for the last three or four years we’ve seen more change happen than we have in the last 20
“And I think we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg of what’s to come.”
Georgiou said the only unknown, and the element that would take most time, was how long it would take to develop a grassroots structure – something that sceptics see as a stumbling block.

Former Vancouver Whitecaps chief executive Paul Barber last month compared the splurge to “lightning in a bottle” – bright, exciting, very contained and in danger of fizzling out.
Georgiou agreed a generational change would probably be needed but that would happen eventually given the popularity of the sport.
Football’s new stars need to be larger than life as China holds out for heroes
“It’s going to continue to accelerate and I don’t think people fully understand the impact it’s going to have on the global economy of football,” he said.
“Why wouldn’t a Chinese club be capable of being bigger than any other club in the world? Time is the only barrier here.”

Georgiou said it would be wrong to think that the Premier League would be anything less than a world-class championship even if it’s global dominance was challenged.
But he could envisage a time when Chinese children born today would be more interested in following their local club than a foreign one.
China soccer transfers hit new record despite government crackdown
“Provoking the conversation is what interests me,” said the chief executive.
“Having a very European-focused footballing world is great, but there’s been no challenger to it. I think we are going to see for the first time, a challenger to the European dominance of football.
“Manchester United’s brand, the EPL’s strength – those will remain.
“But what will happen is you will have genuine competition in China that will rival anything you’ve seen in Europe over the last 100 years. It’s an economic argument.”


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Chinese Super League

Chinese Super League could challenge English Premier league for domination

Shanghai SIPG players celebrate their win over Changchun Yatai. Photo: Reuters

Axel Witsel (R) of Tianjin Quanjian controls the ball during the Chinese Super League match against Guangzhou R&F in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong province on March 4, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR / CHINA OUT

Football Soccer - Chinese Super League - SIPG v Changchun Yatai FC - Shanghai, China - 4/3/17 - SIPG's Elkeson celebrates after scoring. REUTERS/Aly Song

This file photo taken on January 21, 2017 shows Argentine striker Carlos Tevez posing with a jersey of his new club Shanghai Shenhua during a press conference in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. The Chinese Super League will take another step towards global recognition when it returns on March 3, 2017, boasting the world's richest players and a growing audience including live broadcasts in Britain. When Argentina's Carlos Tevez makes his league debut for Shanghai Shenhua, fans from Liaoning to Liverpool can tune in to see what can be bought with reported wages of 768,000 USD a week. / AFP PHOTO / STR / China OUT

This file photo taken on February 28, 2017 shows Shanghai SIPG's Brazilian midfielder Oscar celebrating with his teammates during the AFC Asian Champions League group football match between China's Shanghai SIPG and Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers in Shanghai. The Chinese Super League will take another step towards global recognition when it returns on March 3, 2017, boasting the world's richest players and a growing audience including live broadcasts in Britain. When Argentina's Carlos Tevez makes his league debut for Shanghai Shenhua, fans from Liaoning to Liverpool can tune in to see what can be bought with reported wages of 768,000 USD a week. / AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE

Carlos Tevez insists reports he will earn US$800,000 a week in China are untrue as he is unveiled by Shanghai

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez smiles during a press conference in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. Photo: AFP

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez (L) poses with a jersey of his new club Shanghai Shenhua during a press conference in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. Tevez held his first press conference for his new club Shanghai Shenhua, which reportedly has made him the world's highest-paid football player. / AFP PHOTO / STR / China OUT

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez takes part in his first training session with his new club Shanghai Shenhua in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR / China OUT

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez (R) takes part in his first training session with his new club Shanghai Shenhua in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR / China OUT

Argentine striker Carlos Tevez (L) shakes hands with his new teammates as he takes part in his first training session with his new club Shanghai Shenhua in Shanghai on January 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR / China OUT

You can’t buy success: Carlos Tevez’s Shanghai Shenhua debut ends with disastrous AFC Champions League exit

Carlos Tevez

Under pressure Carlos Tevez asks for ‘time’ and ‘patience’ ahead of Shanghai Shenhua’s Chinese Super League opener

Shanghai Shenhua’s Carlos Tevez against Australia’s Brisbane Roar. Photo: Reuters

Shanghai SIPG' Brazilian midfielder Oscar celebrates after scoring during the AFC Asian Champions League group football match between the China's Shanghai SIPG and Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers in Shanghai on February 28, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Johannes EISELE

Alan Douglas de Carvalho of Guangzhou Evergrande takes a penalty during the team's AFC Champions League group stage football match against Eastern FC in Guangzhou, in China's Guangdong province on February 22, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / STR / CHINA OUT

epa05778266 Carlos Tevez (L) of Shanghai Shenhua vies for the ball with Daniel Bowles of Brisbane Roar FC during an an AFC Champions League match in Shanghai, China, 08 February 2017. EPA/YI XIN CHINA OUT

Sport

China

Football

Leading sports marketer predicts bright future after 2017 season kicks off following bumper preseason transfer window


English Premier League

Chinese Super League could challenge English Premier league for domination

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Leading sports marketer predicts bright future after 2017 season kicks off following bumper preseason transfer window

Leading sports marketer predicts bright future after 2017 season kicks off following bumper preseason transfer window