SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC Motor) has become a senior official partner of the Chinese Super League (CSL) for the 2018 season, according to a press conference held to announce the cooperation agreement on May 17. 

The Chinese Super League is now one of the most lucrative soccer leagues in Asia, thanks to the increasing number of stars it is attracting.

The two sides, together with SAIC Motor’s own brands Roewe, Maxus, Chexiang, EVCARD, will collaborate in the future in terms of brand publicity, marketing campaigns, and service promotion, which is seen as being a further step for SAIC Motor to improve its brand awareness and influence.

As a leading auto company in China, SAIC Motor attaches great importance to brand building. In recent years, the company has lent its name and sponsored many places, such as Shanghai Roewe Children's art theater, SAIC Motor•Shanghai Cultural Plaza, and SAIC Motor International Circuit.

In 2017, the company was listed among the Top 50 Business Service Brands in a list released by renowned brand valuation firm Brand Finance, the Top 50 Chinese Brands, and ranked fifth highest by brand value in a list of listed Chinese companies.

This year, SAIC Motor unveiled its smart vehicle – Roewe MARVEL X, the world’s first mass production smart vehicle. It uses cutting-edge technologies, such as the augmented reality applied to the dashboard, wireless charging, and autonomous parking.

As one of the most lucrative soccer leagues in Asia, CSL, which usually runs for nine months from March 2 to Nov 11, attracted more than 5.7 million spectators in 2017 and the average amount of spectators for each match totaled 23,700, ranking fifth worldwide. Some 2,170 matches, including replays, were broadcast on TV with a combined audience of 434 million throughout the 2017 season. The sports channel of China Central Television broadcast the CSL live and so did local TV stations. Some 580 print media and more than 5,000 online media publication reported on each match in 2017. CSL’s matches are held in 12 Chinese cities with 16 teams and eight local derbies, which can be watched in 96 countries and regions now.