Helios Partners And Major League Baseball Team Up To Bring The Sport To China
Consultancy Assists in League's Efforts to Grow the Game across China
Beijing - May 6, 2009 — Following its successful sales and marketing partnership in conjunction with the first ever MLB China Series in 2008, Helios Partners is pleased to be working with Major League Baseball as the league's marketing and sales partner with this season's MLB Baseball Park interactive experience.
The MLB Baseball Park will traverse the country beginning this coming Saturday in Shanghai. The five-month-long road show will then travel to Wuxi, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Beijing, hitting 20 different sites locally.
Having already demonstrated its capabilities in generating public and corporate support for Major League Baseball in China with the sold-out 2008 China Series, as well as its expertise in helping sports property sponsor companies develop successful community events, Helios now will work with Major League Baseball across all aspects of the MLB Baseball Park initiative from sponsorship sales to marketing promotion to on-the-ground management at each event stop.
"From MLB-supported coaching clinics to viewership of Major League Baseball television programming to last year's exhibition games between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, we have seen baseball's popularity continue to grow across China," said Jim Small, Major League Baseball Vice President for Asia. "By exposing more Chinese people to the game in an engaging and experiential way, we believe the MLB Baseball Park represents another key step in growing both a more passionate fan base and participation in the sport at the grassroots level."
Along with introducing participants to the game through interactive stations featuring coaching instruction and various baseball skill contests, the MLB Baseball Park also will include cultural and entertainment activities, prize giveaways and MLB merchandise and videos to appeal to people of all ages. A long-time believer in the spirit of giving back to the community, Major League Baseball also will match all prizes awarded to MLB Baseball Park participants with donations to the earthquake relief efforts of actor and Red Cross ambassador Jet Li and his One Foundation. In 2008 alone, the One Foundation raised more than US$16.5 million in cash and in-kind donations of food, water, medicine and other goods for victims of last May's devastating earthquake in Sichuan province, the epicenter of which was located just 60 miles from Chengdu.
"We are thrilled to partner again with Major League Baseball in its efforts to grow the game in China," said Chris Renner, President of Helios China. "It's been fun to see more and more Chinese embrace a game that's considered America's pastime, but which epitomizes teamwork — a concept so highly valued in Chinese culture."
"Overall, the 2008 MLB China Series was an A to an A-plus," said Leon Xie, MLB Managing Director for China. "With a great team of people, including Helios Partners, building on that success to create an even bigger showcase for our sport, this year's MLB Baseball Park is sure to be a huge hit."
For additional information please visit www.heliospartners.com or contact:
In China
Li Li Leung
+86.10.6581.2990
lilileung@heliospartners.com
In the United States
Barbara Poskanzer
+1.678.904.5392
bposkanzer@heliospartners.com