Aston Villa have today announced that global consumer electronics brand Hisense as their first ‘technology partner’. They will help the club push to the next level within areas such as fan engagement and sponsor maximisation.

The club’s Chinese ties have obviously been the main factor in Villa becoming the company’s first football partner in England, but the brand are certainly no strangers to sports sponsorship with tie ups with Red Bull Racing (which was renewed earlier this year), the Hisense Arena in Melbourne and within football the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

When the FIFA sponsorship was announced last year, Liu Hongxin, president of Hisense, said at the time: “Over the years, Hisense has gained a lot of experience and seen strong brand growth through sports sponsorships. We believe that the competition will vastly improve global awareness for Hisense as a truly international brand.”

This same philosophy has now been extended to England, with the aim to help the club bounce back and gain the international exposure the Premier League provides. In the meantime they have a year in which to trial different strategies, especially around fan engagement.

After the tumultuous chairmanship of Randy Lerner, a time that alienated many fans and saw the team’s performances decline. Since then they have been making great strides in utilising digital, and especially social media, to re-engage with fans and bring them closer to the club once again. Being in the EFL Championship next season will allow them to be more experimental, so an interesting season for the club beckons both on and off the pitch.