Harlem Globetrotters Announce Five-Year Partnership In China, July Tour

Partnership comes on heels of successful, just-wrapped 17-country European tour

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Jun 07, 2018, 02:39 ET

ATLANTA, June 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harlem Globetrotters and the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company announced a five-year partnership today that will bring the Globetrotters back to China next month.

The two-week tour of China, which will begin on July 6 in Baotou, continues the team's ongoing global touring itinerary. Last week, the Globetrotters wrapped their annual tour of Europe, a 13-week tour in which they played 74 games in 17 countries and generated 15 sold-out performances in France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The team also recently wrapped a 10-city tour of Australia in April, which included five sell-outs, as part of a strategic partnership with Australia's National Basketball League.

"We are very excited to announce this new partnership in China, an increasingly important market with a rise in basketball culture and popularity of the Globetrotters," said Howard Smith, president of Harlem Globetrotters International. "Combined with our successful recent tours of Europe and Australia, the upcoming tour in China is further evidence of the growing popularity of the Globetrotters brand all over the world."

As part of the partnership in China, the Globetrotters will play eight-to-12 shows in China annually over each of the next five years. The Globetrotters plan to implement year-round marketing in China, including potential basketball clinics, school visits as part of their vital role as Ambassadors of Goodwill, and local sponsorship opportunities.

The 2018 tour is the first in a five-year partnership with the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company, one of the leaders in integrated marketing in China since its establishment in 2006. The company has established great market advantages in sports and entertainment, IP marketing, new retail and terminal marketing, and social media and digital content.

"We can't wait to bring the Harlem Globetrotters back to China," said Dang Ming, CEO of the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company. "The Globetrotters have introduced basketball to millions of young people throughout our country, and we're excited to welcome them back next month."

Next month's tour of China is part of a banner year for the Globetrotters in 2018, with over 450 games being played in over 25 countries before numerous sell-out crowds. The team will also tour Israel in September and play their annual military tour in October with games planned for the Middle East.

The Harlem Globetrotters® are legendary worldwide, synonymous with one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills for the past 92 years. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 123 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans – among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents – over nine thrilling decades. The American Red Cross is the official charity of the Harlem Globetrotters. Sponsored by Entenmann's Donuts ®, Ticket Galaxy and Baden Sports, Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters' official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com and follow them on Twitter @Globies.

SOURCE Harlem Globetrotters