July 26 – In the Swiss equivalent of taking coal to Newcastle, Chinese watch brand Seagull has taken the shirt sponsorship of Swiss top tier Grasshopper Club Zurich.
Seagull Watch is the oldest watch manufacturer in China, founded in 1955 in Tianjin, and the current market leader in the country.
The watch brand will be on the front of the men’s first team shirts and will also have exposure on Grasshoppers’ digital channels, as well as on the LED banners in Letzigrund stadium.
As part of the deal with Grasshopper, Seagull Watch will launch a limited edition club watch.
“We are very pleased to gain Seagull Watch as a strategic partner with a long history and tradition. Working with Seagull Watch provides us with an excellent opportunity to reach and interact with fans around the world,” said Andreas Schmocker, head of marketing at Grasshoppers.
Seagull Watch has partnered with a number of European football clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In April 2020 Grasshoppers were bought by the newly founded Hong Kong-based Champion Union HK Holdings, headed by Jenny Wang Jinyuan – the wife of Fosun and Wolverhampton Wanderers owner Guo Guangchang.
Xu Chuangyue, president of Tianjin Seagull Watch Technology Co. added: “It’s always been a goal of ours to empower the Seagull Watch brand through a global sport like football. In the future, Grasshopper Club Zürich and Seagull Watch aim to combine their strengths and help the brand connect to a younger and more diverse audience. We hope that through this partnership we will encourage more Seagull Watch customers to become fans and support Grasshoppers. This collaboration also reflects our vision to expand our international collaborations and establish Seagull Watch as a global brand.”
