The 15-year agreement will see Sino-Navigator Sports Business advise on sports marketing, development and business opportunities on a range of Government sanctioned sports rights.
The deal has been signed with the support of the Chinese authorities, including both senior non-Government organisations and Government Ministries such as the Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Education.
Among the opportunities incorporated in the deal include the China Youth Schools Football Development Project (CYSFDP) which is now in the planning stage.
The project covers the introduction of football into schools throughout China and the scheme will adopt some of the successful strategies of the Schools Football initiative (the SFi) that has successfully operated in the UK for over seven years.
In the UK, the SFi is operated and owned by Navigator: The Sports Business Limited who are part of the new joint venture.
The CYSFDP is fully endorsed by the Chinese Government for schools in China and is set to become the world's biggest grassroots football activity. The scheme is designed to confirm the Chinese Authorities' willingness to work with international corporate partners on sports marketing projects, now that China has won entry to the WTO.
The project management undertaken by Sino-Navigator covers all supporting areas such as media and telecommunications, and the development of a dedicated TV channel to feature these sorts of projects.
The scheme also includes plans for talent identification and the provision of 'scholarships' to overseas and European clubs, and a youth 'outreach' programme to forge international links.
Said Sino-Navigator's director of sport Graham Morgan: "This is the first of a series of projects that, through a direct link with the Government, launch a new era for sports business in China.
"It will take time, money and effort to achieve the goals we have set ourselves but the infrastructure is in place for the projects to bring great success.
"For Sino-Navigator, it is the sort of deal that every sports consultancy would give their right arm for and we are proud that, based on the expertise of our staff, we were chosen by the Chinese authorities from a number of bidders to deliver on this project."
Sino-Navigator Sports Business Ltd has secured a major long-term rights deal in China, becoming one of the first European marketing agencies to break into this rapidly emerging market.
