China: search engine Baidu partners with Perform Group for a Chinese version of Goal.com

The Beijing company Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co.Ltd. (Baidu) announced its partnership with Perform Group, a British company specialising in the processing, management and marketing of sports information and statistics, to launch a football information platform called goal.baidu.com, on 25/05/2016.

Perform Group, which owns Goal.com and has a network of over 500 journalists, has been brought in to cover the CSL in the Goal.com model whilst also offering the services of its Opta Sports sports data agency. Beijing Lehecai, a lottery branch of Baidu, will handle all advertising and marketing operations.

"Our collaboration with Baidu demonstrates our ambition. The timing couldn’t be more appropriate. With the surge in interest in the Chinese Super League, we are delighted to have a partner who shares our vision," said Jacopo Tonoli, commercial director of the Perform Group, on 25/05/2016.

"A new breed of fan" (Martyn Jones, on 25/05/2016)

• "This is a game-changing milestone for Goal and for Chinese football fans. In recent years, we’ve seen a new breed of fan emerge that’s…