CHINA: TAG Heuer goes Football!
CHINA: TAG Heuer goes Football!
TAG Heuer Announced to Become Official Watch and Official Timekeeper of Chinese Football Association Super League Power Up Chinese Football, Ignite the Big Green
TAG Heuer, the Swiss avant-garde watchmaker, announced to become the Official Timekeeper and Official Watch for Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL), the most prestigious football league in China, witnessing every excitement of the game, igniting the big green, and passing on the pioneering spirit of #DontCrackUnderPressure to young footballers. This is an unprecedented partnership. From now on, the most influential football league in Chinese is on TAG Heuer time!
With a record-breaking 5.33 million spectators and an additional 400 million audiences in front of a television, CSL, as the most prestigious football league, has been refreshing and exceeding everyone’s expectations for the past 10 years since its establishment, inspiring football dreams of young generations. Football is not just about speed but also about strength, intelligence, willpower, and most importantly, the thirst of success. TAG Heuer has been always committed to supporting football. In 2014, superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo became the new TAG Heuer brand ambassador. In 2015, TAG Heuer began its cooperation with Bundesliga. In 2016, TAG Heuer will act as the Official Watch and Official Timekeeper of MLS, PRO and the U.S. Soccer Federation. Now, its effort in football has been expanded into Chinese football. The clash between the TAG Heuer’s avant-garde spirit and CSL’s competition spirit will for sure ignite a spark that the world has never seen.
At the Bird's Nest Culture & Creative Center, TAG Heuer announced its partnership with CSL. Mr. Leo Poon, Greater China GM of TAG Heuer, together with Mr. MA Chengquan, chairman of CSL, Mr. LIN Xiaohua, Chinese Football Association executive committee member and football player Mr. Shao Jiayi attended the event in Beijing, witnessing the glorious moment.
Mr. Leo Poon, Greater China GM of TAG Heuer, said, “TAG Heuer is honored to be chosen by CSL as the official watch and official timekeeper. The partnership brings both brands to a greater platform, spreading TAG Heuer’s core spirit of #DontCrackUnderPressure# to more young audiences. Chinese football is a world of endless passion and dream with a potential that knows no boundary. With the partnership between TAG Heuer and CSL, we look forward to injecting avant-garde spirit and innovative practices into Chinese football, inspiring the passion for football of the younger generation and power up the future development of Chinese football and education.
Mr. Ma Chengquan, chairman of CSL, shared, “We are very happy to partner with TAG Heuer. Since established in 2004, CSL has become the most influential sport event of Chinese football. Football spirit advocates passion, determination and team work. With such an internationally renowned brand that perfectly combined sport performance and technological innovation as TAG Heuer, we are sure that the partnership will be something really special.”
TAG Heuer’s Passion for Football
TAG Heuer, the Swiss avant-garde watchmaker, has always been committed to competition sports in its DNA. Among all the partnerships that the brand has with other sports, football is the most popular one with the largest fan base. TAG Heuer has always been offering its support for football, working with premier events and legendary superstars. TAG Heuer’s passionate clash with football brings on a carnival that never ends!
TAG Heuer with Legendary Superstars
Cristiano Ronaldo, Superstar footballer and a two-time Golden Globe Awards winner
In 2014, superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo became the new TAG Heuer brand ambassador.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the forward of Real Madrid and captain for Portugal national team, officially joined the TAG Heuer celebrity family. With his great experience, extraordinary physical quality and all-round techniques, he played for premier clubs such as Manchester, Real Madrid and has won numerous awards, including Premier League Golden Boot, UEFA Champions League best striker, FWA Footballer of the Year, FIFA World Player of the Year, Golden Globe Awards and European Golden Shoe, to name but a few.
Cristiano Ronaldo said, “TAG Heuer is and has been for the past 154 years far ahead of other brands. No other luxury watchmaker has ever had such close relationship with world-known sports events. These partnerships are not only full of charm but also extremely unique. We share the same vision – change the current situation, push the boundaries and create a new world. I am honored to be part of such an avant-garde and innovative legend.” Cristiano Ronaldo not only has extraordinary techniques but also keeps on challenging and changing himself – a perfect match with TAG Heuer spirit.
Born in Madeira, Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated great passion for football since young and soon became a well-known footballer in a local club. In 1998, Sporting Lisbon spotted his talent and included him in the youth team. After five years of rigorous and systematic training in the Alcochete training camp of Sporting Lisbon, also known as the football dream factory, he debut the league with 3 goals in 25 games. In summer of 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo, already an emerging star, joined Manchester Club and wore the legendary 7 for the first time. His true power exploded after 2006, followed by three top awards in the world of football, namely Golden Globe Awards, FIFA World Player of the Year and European Golden Shoe all in one year in 2008. In 2009, Real Madrid, another prestigious club, handed out the olive brand to him and settled an agreement with an extremely high transfer, thusly making him the most expensive football player in the world. After joining in Real Madrid, Ronaldo is of greater maturity as a person and a footballer. He then won the second Golden Globe Awards with a dominiated advantage over Franck Ribéry and Lionel Messi.
The partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo marked football is officially part of the sports world that TAG Heuer is involved with.
TAG Heuer with Bundesliga
When football clashes again with the avant-garde watchmaking, TAG Heuer with its extraordinary sports DNA locked its eyes on Bundesliga, the prestigious German league.
In 2015, Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, president of the LVMH Watch Division and CEO of TAG Heuer, and Bundesliga officially announced their partnership. Bringing together the top 36 soccer clubs in Germany (18 in the Bundesliga and 18 in Bundesliga 2), it is one of the most successful football leagues in the world. And TAG Heuer is becoming its official time keeper, which made TAG Heuer the first official timekeeper and official watch in the history of Bundesliga.
Mr. Jean-Claude Biver said, “Bundesliga is one of the greatest and most powerful platforms that one can think of. Through the sponsorship, we have endless possibilities for different visions and a bright future, especially in the digital world. We are preparing for the future.”
Following the brand’s avant-garde watchmaking spirit, this is a one-of-a-kind partnership that is ready to embrace the future. It offers endless possibilities for innovation. From the billboards in the stadium, to broadcasting the games, and to internet and social media, TAG Heuer and Bundeslinga will break all the rules and traditions to create a brand new world of sports with digital media. An innovative, cutting-edge and avant-garde partnership is thusly born.
TAG Heuer with U.S. Soccer
In 2016, TAG Heuer announced a landmark, long-term partnership agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS) and the U.S. Soccer Federation. The partnership, which commences on the first day of MLS’ 21st season, March 6, 2016, will further establish TAG Heuer’s standing as a worldwide timekeeper for The Beautiful Game and challenge consumers and athletes alike: #DontCrackUnderPressure.
The partnership is also inclusive of the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), the organization responsible for managing the referee and assistant referee program in professional soccer leagues in the United States and Canada. During MLS games, PRO referees will wear a Connected Watch, the innovative and newly launched smart watch in the TAG Heuer collection and a favorite among athletes. Each MLS referee will also be branded with the TAG Heuer logo on their uniform. Additionally, TAG Heuer will provide and be visible on the substitution board used on the sideline.
As a premier luxury sports watchmaker, TAG Heuer will act as the Official Watch and Official Timekeeper of MLS and PRO. It will act as the Official Timekeeper of U.S. Soccer. Through the partnership, and by leveraging MLS’ and U.S. Soccer’s passionate and growing fan bases, TAG Heuer strives to further elevate its global status as a worldwide luxury watch brand and provider of unparalleled fan engagement.
