On The Ball | 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.
