First report on Chinese football published

September 2003, London

Sport Business Group has published "Football in China", the first definitive analysis of football-business opportunities in the world's fastest growing economy. The report, researched and written by FMMI, looks at the whole Chinese football market and covers amongst other areas, media, finance, clubs, fans and the structure of the game.

FMMInternational acquires content for Chinese broadcaster (August 2003, London) Acting on behalf of Chinese national broadcaster CCTV, FMMI acquired the rights for them to broadcast two TV documentaries on David Beckham. The programmes will be shown to audiences in China expected to exceed 50 million.

FMMInternational completes work for major media group

September 2003, London

FMMI have finished a major project for Brazilian group Globo, undertaking research, providing analysis and subsequent advice on the values for international TV sports rights. The work involved analysis of the TV market including the benchmarking of television rights around the world and projections of values in the future.

FMMI's Neil Eaves said "We were pleased to be able to help Globo and the scope of the work was both interesting and exciting", while Marcelo de Campos Pinto, Director of Globo Sports commented "This valuable research will enable Globo to continue to offer the best television coverage of football in Brazil."

FMMInternational acquires content for Chinese broadcaster

August 2003, London

Acting on behalf of Chinese national broadcaster CCTV, FMMI acquired the rights for them to broadcast two TV documentaries on David Beckham. The programmes will be shown to audiences in China expected to exceed 50 million.

FMMInternational announce strategic alliance with Chinese media giants Titan Sports

May 2003, Beijing

FMMI and Titan have agreed a deal to explore opportunities in the expanding Chinese football market with a view to developing these on a joint basis.

With domestic revenues under pressure, an increasing number of European clubs have approached FMMI with a view to developing long-term brand-building strategies in China, an expanding football market of almost unlimited potential. FMMI CEO Nigel Empson explained how the alliance with Titan adds an important dimension to such strategies: "Like many Chinese businesses Titan are a diverse group; they are active in television and new media, and they have the largest circulation sports specific publications in the Chinese market. We feel that their knowledge of the Chinese media industry, their range of activities, and their ability to reach China's expanding football market will be of immense value to FMMI and our clients. We have been working with Titan for some time now and we have developed a strong and productive relationship that has benefited us both" explains Empson, "this alliance takes it one step further and cements the relationship."

Titan see the partnership with FMMInternational as being of great significance. Mr. Qu Youyuan, Publisher of Titan Sports (Sportsweekly), Soccer Weekly and All Sports, offered the following thoughts on the strategic partnership:

"Football fans in China are peculiar in their knowledge of European football, in that the average Chinese fan knows more about the English Premier League than the average Italian football fan for example; likewise they know more about the Italian Serie A than English football fans. The size of the sports, and particularly the football consumption market in China is vast. The precious Sino-English tie we are announcing today is just the start of significant cooperation in football media and other opportunities in the global football industry; the potential is limitless."

AC Milan twice as popular as Manchester United as Premier League falls to Serie A in China

March 2003, London

The first FMMI-Titan poll of Chinese football fans shattered a few illusions as Serie A and AC Milan finished well ahead of the Premier League and Manchester United in the popularity stakes. The poll, conducted on sports media group Titan's web site, attracted responses from Chinese football fans nationwide.

With the Italian league attracting the support of 51% of the vote against 33% from the Premiership clearly Italian club sides enjoy an advantage over their English club rivals. Some consolation comes in the form of another convincing English defeat of the Germans who finished bottom of the big four with a paltry 4% behind the Spanish with 12%.

In the ‘favourite European club' stakes Milan's victory was comprehensive as they took 28.2% ahead of nearest rivals Real Madrid (18.5%), Manchester United (11%), Inter Milan (11%) and Arsenal (10.7%). Juventus (6.6%) and Bayern Munich (3.6%) were the only other clubs to enjoy a significant measure of commitment from Chinese fans.