Soccer frenzy draws crowds, sponsors

Mario Oliveto, a sports marketing expert and former executive at Adidas AG, said the success of these summer tournaments relies on their capacity to win hearts and consolidate long-term sponsorship deals with Chinese companies.

"Broadcast rights, sponsorship and merchandising agreements are the keys, while ticket sales are a more limited source of revenue, given the time of year."

Andrew Collins, a Shanghai-based digital entrepreneur with Mailman Group, who specializes in helping European soccer teams establish an online presence in China, said the summer tours were all about creating long-term sponsorship agreements between the teams and Chinese companies.

Chinese sponsors, he said, including the Chinese telecommunications company Qbao Corp, are playing a more active role in the global sports industry.

"We are seeing an increasing number of Chinese sponsors becoming more influential.

"Rayo Vallecano (a team currently playing in La Liga, Spain's top-flight division) just hired a Chinese player, Zhang Chengdong, and that's clearly part of a sponsorship deal," said Collins.

"That is a serious way to try to build the brand and get exposure in the Chinese market."

Qbao secured a three-year sponsorship deal with Rayo Vallecano last year.

The 25-year-old winger Zhang will spend the coming season on loan at the Madrid-based club, from his Chinese club Beijing Guo'an, becoming the first Chinese player to play in La Liga.

Although no financial details were disclosed, Spanish media reported that Qbao paid 600,000 euros in sponsoring rights, subject to two conditions: The team's participation in a China tour and the addition of a Chinese player. Zhang's signing was confirmed during the tour.

Inter also used its tour to celebrate a 20-year sponsorship deal with Pirelli SpA, the world's fifth-largest tire manufacturer, by inviting distributors and dealers from Guangdong province and South Asia to meet the players.