Bundesliga Side Borussia Dortmund Partners With Chinese Club Shandong Luneng

Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund signed an "exclusive partnership" with Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng as the club attempts to expand its footprint in China, according to the AFP. Dortmund is "making a big push to attract new fans" in China and on Wednesday "sealed a cooperation agreement with Shandong," which is led by former Bayern Munich Manager Felix Magath. The deal will see Dortmund "offer expertise in a number of ways, most notably in the area of youth development." Dortmund has played preseason friendlies in China over the past two summers and club Marketing & Sales Dir Carsten Cramer said, "We are not only a club playing a friendly asking for some money, then rushing out of the country. Without a partnership with a club, I am very sure that we can't reach the credibility in the population of China." Xinhua reported the partnership was for the "next five years." Dortmund, which won the German Cup last season, "recently opened an office in Shanghai" (AFP, 8/24).