Creating fan-tastic memories

After collecting six English top-flight titles in five seasons and a maiden Champions League crown last term as part of a historic treble, Manchester City has firmly established itself as a powerhouse of European soccer.

Translating its dominance on the pitch into building a bigger global fan base is now a major focus for the club. As part of that drive, the China leg of City's Treble Trophy Tour took place from Aug 25 until Sept 4, with stops in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Zhengzhou, Tianjin and Beijing.

David Tang, the chief executive officer of City Football Group China, says the club harbors big ambitions for the Chinese market.

"The 2022-23 season was an unprecedented and historic year for Manchester City, with many special memories and moments made for the club and our fans. China, as one of our key markets with a big fan base, this is a destination we don't want to miss," Tang told China Daily.

"We are thrilled to bring the trophies and offer Chinese fans the opportunity to have more access to see the trophies up close. With club ambassador Paul Dickov and the exciting addition of the UEFA European Super Cup, it is fantastic to see the passion and love from City fans in China."

Traditionally, the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool have garnered the most support among English clubs in China. However, after twice bringing trophy tours to China this year alone, Tang says City is laying strong foundations to build its fan base.

"When everything started in 2016, we only had two official supporters' clubs, including one in Shenzhen that was registered by an expat. Today, we have 27 official supporters' clubs in different cities around the country. This is amazing," said Tang.

"Not only from fans but also from a business perspective, the brand is growing and widely recognized by our partners in China. Today, Manchester City has the largest number of partners from China among other international football clubs."

As part of City's tour, the English Premier League and FA Cup trophies were on display at the UK pavilion of the ongoing China International Fair For Trade In Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, helping to "enhance links between the UK and China", according to Tang.

City also hopes to impact China's grassroots soccer scene, with the club keen to maintain "a long-term and sustainable commitment" in the country.

"We are looking at exploring football education and academy projects in China," said Tang. "As a global football organization, we would always like to share our football knowledge and practice as well as to ensure the project is delivered in the right way."

The Man City team last visited China in 2019 to play in the preseason Premier League Asian Cup tournament. Tang assured fans the club is keen to engineer a return trip for Pep Guardiola's star-studded side.

"Everyone at the club had a great time and has wonderful memories of China," he added. "We were deeply impressed by the beautiful cities and the huge demand from local fans. We look forward to visiting China again at an appropriate time, to give Chinese fans another great chance to engage with the team and the players and coaches they love."