FCB team news and unique football camp content available through Xinhua News app
BNN Technology (AIM: BNN), a London-listed Chinese technology, content and services company, today announces the signing of a partnership with FC Barcelona (FCB), one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world, through offering various football events, money-can’t-buy experiences and football camp content online via BNN’s partner NewNet on Xinhua News app.
The partnership enables NewNet to distribute some FCB content such as club news, access to enter competitions and games through the sports section of Xinhua’s News mobile app. It also enables NewNet to run a series of football camps each season in China, where over 300 young Chinese amateur football players will be trained by fully qualified FCB coaches to hone technique, tactical awareness and fitness, following the renowned and admired FCB training methodology. One of these camps will be held at Barcelona’s official training centre, where Chinese participants will experience world class professional coaching right in the heart of Spanish football. As part of the agreement, BNN will also take a group of participants to a match at Barcelona’s renowned stadium, Camp Nou.
All the action from the football camps and official FCB original content will be captured and available on the Xinhua News app, delivered by NewNet. Prospective football camp participants, friends, families, and fans can register to access exclusive football camp content and related information on Xinhua News app. The content will go live in early 2017.
For the first time in Asia, two of FCB’s former stars – defender Eric Abidal and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta – attended the partnership signing ceremony held today in Beijing, China. Abidal (‘07’-‘13), who famously lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2011 at Wembley Stadium, and Mendieta (’ 02-’03), a two-time winner of the UEFA Club Best Midfielder Award, greeted attendees at today’s ceremony, as well as demonstrated their legendary skills to celebrate the partnership.
The partnership underscores BNN’s commitment to supporting grassroots football in China, by delivering social participation programmes that build on the company’s longstanding operations in the country.
Darren Mercer, Chief Executive of BNN Technology, said:
“I am thrilled that Barcelona, one of the world’s best football clubs, has chosen BNN Technology as their official regional partner in China to support grassroots football in the country. China has real ambition to be a global leader in football, and communities and schools in provinces up and down the country are at the beginning of a fascinating football journey. We are proud to be contributing to a project of national importance at a formative stage, and to enrich lives by encouraging both grassroots and top-level involvement in this beautiful game is something I am particularly proud that BNN Technology is part of.”
Xavier Asensi, Managing Director of FCB APAC, said:
“It is a great honour to welcome BNN Technology and NewNet into our APAC, and specifically China, family. We have more fans in China than any single other country around the world and so are delighted that this partnership with BNN and NewNet allows us to get closer to millions of our supporters. We are looking forward to the partnership programme on Chinese soil kicking off and hope that our fans, and all Chinese citizens, can enjoy and benefit from it.”
About the Group
BNN Technology plc is a Chinese technology, content and services company that builds longterm partnerships to deliver China’s citizens with value-added services, content and evolving opportunities.
Listed on AIM since 2014 the Group principally engages in providing technology to partners to facilitate fulfilment of payments online and on mobile apps through partnerships or affiliate agreements with corporate and key government partners, and, developing digital content, both online and mobile. Through its partnership with Xinhuatong and NewNet, BNN facilitates mobile payments, through its technology platform, on the Xinhua News mobile app in 12 provinces in China. The Chinese consumer shift to ‘life on mobile’ is only just beginning and BNN’s platform technology enables urban and rural communities across China to access exclusive content and pay for more services online.
The Group employs nearly 300 professionals throughout China.
About FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona was founded on November 29, 1899 by initiative of a Swiss gentleman called Hans Maximilian Gamper, popularly known as Joan Gamper. Since it was founded, the club has had 46 different presidents. From Walter Wild to Josep Maria Bartomeu, Barça has grown into a massive social phenomenon that reaches far beyond the bounds of mere sport. The club has grown along with the city around it, and has come to represent Barcelona and Catalonia all around the world.
FC Barcelona is one of the football clubs with more members in the world and its achievements have also made it one of the most successful. The many famous victories and all-time greats that have played for the club (Kubala, Cruyff, Maradona, Romário, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Messi, and so many more) form an important part of the Barça legacy.
In the last ten years, FC Barcelona has won the Spanish league six times, the Spanish King’s Cup two times, the UEFA Champions League three times, and the World Club Cup two times, making them the world’s most decorated team over that period. FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi was awarded FIFA’s Player of the Year award in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.