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| The successful forging of MasterCard's sponsorship for the Southeast Asian Games is the latest addition to the portfolio of Mediapro. Ivan Saldajeno |
By Ivan Saldajeno
TAGUIG--The 2019 Southeast Asian Games has been getting a lot of huge companies as sponsors.
The most recent of which came on Monday, when the PHISGOC formalized a partnership with renowned credit card company MasterCard as a gold sponsor.
So who is making all of these possible?
Enter Mediapro.
With its Asian headquarters in Singapore, Mediapro has become a rising force in the Asian sports marketing industry.
It was evident this year as the company also helped in nailing collaborations with the Chinese Basketball Association for sponsorship in the recently concluded FIBA World Cup.
Mediapro further advanced its reach in Asia by successfully tapping Skyworth and MasterCard as sponsors for the SEA Games from Nov. 30-Dec. 11.
"It's amazing for us to engage with many brands throughout Asia," said Lars Heidenreich, Mediapro's managing director for Asia.
On why he decided to extend the company's hands to PHISGOC for the SEAG, Heidenreich said, "The SEA Games present a very relevant platform for major global companies because it is really the single most important event that happens within Southeast Asia this year. It provides athletes and teams [an] opportunity to come home with gold medals."
For him, what made the PHISGOC's partnerships with Skyworth and MasterCard easier to push through is that both companies share the same vision with the SEA Games to give delight to the sports fans across the region.
"I think brands like Skyworth and MasterCard recognize that opportunity to be able to engage with sports fans and relevant demographics not within the Philippines but as well as all the participating countries and beyond," Heidenreich continued. "They make a big investment in sports and technology."
MasterCard's role in the SEA Games will be in the form of sponsoring the official mobile app for the biennial meet.
MasterCard will also handle the online and offline payments for the tickets and the food to be bought at the venues during the games.
The payment mode, according to Heidenreich, is similar to that of this year's Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Aside from the SEA Games, FIBA World Cup, and Rugby World Cup, Mediapro also had a hand in the production of this year's UEFA Champions League Final and the Pan American Games, and pushing sports marketing has been its bread and butter for a long time already.
"Sponsorship, media rights solution, and production run in the DNA for the past 25 years," Heidenreich continued.
With that said, Heidenreich looks forward to possibly market future sporting events in the Philippines, like its turn to host the FIBA World Cup in 2023.
"It will be quite a privilege," he said should Mediapro get the job for the FIBA worlds in 2023.
One advantage it will have is its recent hosting of the 3x3 Elite League Manila.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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