Revealed: How Chinese fan base will be used by Birmingham City
BLUES new bosses believe that they can feed off the ravenous China market to help turn the club into a major force.
Vico Hui said the Chinese were crazy about football and the Premier League, and their interest would only mushroom now Carson Yeung was installed at St Andrew’s.
Citing the way basketball’s NBA took off on the back of 7ft 6in superstar Yao Ming, Hui said football was ready for such an explosion.
Blues owners have plans to buy into a television channel in the Far East and crank up their internet site, in readiness for matches to be possibly streamed live in years to come.
“The long-term objective, I think we should make money,” said Hui, Blues chairman. “In the short-term I think you need contributions. But in the long-term I am sure we can make a profit and then we will use the profit to reinvest after a couple of years. It’s a cycle.
“Being Chinese we have very good connections to the great China market. I think there is no doubt it is a very huge market. But for the football it is a white paper right now so we have lots of opportunity to bring the Premier League concept to China and develop football, the education, the merchandising and later on I think we will have a China player at Birmingham. Not now. But I think in the future.
“It’s like the NBA. You see Yao Ming. Before I don’t think a lot of Chinese people were watching NBA. But at the time of Yao Ming, the NBA market developed in China very, very fast. So there is a model.”
Hui continued: “Other Premier League clubs have tried but our privilege is that we’re Chinese. We know what you have to do, we have the connections.
“From merchandising to the media, there are a lot of ways to make a profit.
“Yes, we could be the best-supported club in the world. I think all enterprises, not only the Premier League, are looking at the market in China right now. The economy grows very fast.
“The people are more educated and looking for a better standard of life. So I think they will like the Premier League.”
The NBA’s China operation is valued at £1.5 billion per annum. What could Blues grand plan be worth?
Hui responded: “It’s a very huge amount.
“Hundreds of millions? Yes.”
