Liverpool’s Far East assault is on hold, for now, but Nike link-up means China visit is inevitable
- Plans to visit China this summer were destroyed by Covid-19, but the club is keen to return
- Nike partnership means both parties see China as integral to short-term strategy
Had things been different, Liverpool could have been in the Far East this summer. Earlier in the year the club were considering a pre-season tour to the region, with a one-off game in China.
The last time Liverpool were in Asia was three years ago. Things did not go exactly to plan, especially in Hong Kong. An open training session at Mong Kok Stadium had to be called off because of torrential rain, leaving supporters disappointed. Since then the emphasis has been on the United States. This made sense. New Balance are an American company and their core market is domestic. Nike are a different prospect.
One of the reasons Liverpool opted to change their kit deal was that Nike have the infrastructure and distribution links worldwide that their predecessors lacked. Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, have long planned to make more of the Chinese market. One of the reasons they gave LeBron James a small equity share in Liverpool was to use his fame in China to promote the club. The Los Angeles Lakers power forward is one of the greatest basketball players in history and has a huge following in the world’s most populous nation.
Mark Lev, the president of Fenway Sports Management, FSG’s global arm, explained the rationale four years ago. “We felt that having LeBron on our team if you will would be advantageous for us as we looked to make hay in Asia and in China specifically,” Lev said.
James is one of Nike’s signature athletes. One of the key components in the Oregon-based company sealing the deal with Anfield was their promise to use other superstars in their sponsorship portfolio to cross-promote Liverpool. That means much more attention on the Far East.
It is scant consolation for Asian fans to know that the inability to visit this year only sharpens FSG’s appetite to strengthen their ties to the continent
At Nike’s Greater China Shanghai headquarters they are drooling at the prospect of handling Liverpool’s account. Expect to see a much greater presence for the club in the coming years.
For now, preparations for the next campaign will be downbeat. The players are on a two-week holiday after their title-winning exertions but will return to training at Melwood on August 15.
The pandemic means that plans are on hold until the last minute but Klopp favours a week-long camp in Evian, France, a place the team have visited for the past two summers. Staff and players enjoyed the facilities in the spa town and cycling to training and back each day became a feature of their visit to the Alps. If travel restrictions are imposed because of the pandemic there are other options – one in Europe and two in the United Kingdom.
It could be worse. Because Liverpool tied up the title with seven games still to play, Klopp was able to take a more relaxed approach to the remaining fixtures. While their main rivals were battling for top-four places and European spots, the champions had one eye on next season.
It is unlikely that football will ever experience another pre-season like this and hopefully things will be close to normal next summer. Even if the expanded Club World Cup does not take place in China in 2021 – it will be moved because it clashes with the rescheduled Euro 2020 – Liverpool could well be heading east next summer. Fans across the region have plenty to look forward to in the next few years.
