FC Internazionale attend China International Import Expo

SHANGHAI  – The first edition of the China International Import Expo, organised jointly by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the municipal government of Shanghai, opened its doors. FC Internazionale were the only football club in the world that was invited to participate and have a stand in the service-industry area.

The theme of the stand is “Inter @ China” and it tells the story of the club’s bond with the Asian country to professionals and ordinary fans, covering the significant moments of this 40-year relationship. Visitors will be greeted with a high-tech display full of images, including the Biscione, autographs of players, historic photographs and some of the trophies that comprise the club’s trophy cabinet. The unmistakeable Nerazzurri style, which captures the essence of the city of Milan, has returned to delight the Chinese public once again.

Inter and China – 40 years of history

The China International Import Expo is taking place for the first time in 2018, to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the Chinese Economic Reform that was launched in 1978. That same year Inter became the first professional club in world football to visit the country and in September ’78 the Chinese national team chose to face Inter as their first opposition on a European tour. The relationship between Inter and China was inevitably strengthened in 2016, when Suning became the majority shareholder, and yet again in October 2018, as Steven Zhang was named club president, the youngest in Nerazzurri history and one of the youngest among the world’s leading football clubs.

Nerazzurri stand to emphasise technology and design

The entrance is dominated by a large LED screen that encircles the stand showing a video of the club’s history. Inside, the Fan Wall allows supporters to sign up and leave a photo or a message for their favourite team. Up above, the space is taken up by Inter’s crest, while the “Micro World of Stars” wall is made up of all the logos of the Nerazzurri history, as well as photos and signatures of the current first team. Guests can also see up close the silverware that the club has won down the years: two European Cups, one Champions League, 18 Serie A titles, five Italian Super Cups and seven Coppa Italia trophies. The stand even has a section on the Inter Academy project, along with a presentation on the philosophy, development and successes of the club’s Youth Sector.

Two new regional partners

The exhibition stand could not go ahead without an area dedicated to Inter’s sponsors and co-branded products. Thanks to the support of the Suning network, Inter has established numerous commercial relations with leading partners in the Chinese market, which is becoming ever more involved in the sports industry. As part of CIIE, on 7 November Inter will unveil two new regional partners, China Unicom and Moutai, who are top brands in their respective sectors of telecommunications and fine liquors. The club has plans to release co-branded products with both companies in the local market. Two further events for local partners have been organised in preparation for Single’s Day on 11 November, a shopping festival in Asia that is similar to the US tradition of Black Friday which recently arrived in Europe: on 6 November, the partnership between Suning e-commerce and the brands advertised on this platform will be celebrated, while on 8 November there will be an event dedicated to Beko.

Open day for the fans

During the first edition of the China International Import Expo, running from 5 to 10 November, the Inter stand will host a media day for the local press and an open day for the fans, both of which will be attended by vice-president Javier Zanetti on 8 and 9 November.

“It is very important for Inter to take part in the first edition of CIIE and it is an honour to be the only football club invited to the exhibition,” said new president Steven Zhang. “It is a great opportunity to be close to our fans in China and it enables us to underline our role as a bridge for cultural and commercial exchanges between China and Italy. We wanted to display not only the history of Inter but also our future, which will be increasingly technological and international, without betraying our core values.”