The Premier League (PL) side, Manchester City have signed a regional partnership agreement with India’s renowned digital services brand, Jio Platforms Limited (Jio).
In this development, Jio has become the English top-flight team’s official mobile communications network partner in India. This intriguing partnership was helmed by RISE Worldwide, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance.
The two parties involved will team up for fan engagement initiatives, which will be available for football enthusiasts to witness through JioTV, MyJio, Jio STB, JioEngage and other applications and platforms along with exclusive giveaways and in-market activities.
In addition, CITY+, Manchester City’s OTT medium will be merged with the JioTV platform enabling Indian fans to enjoy exclusive club content which consists of highlights, live Manchester City Women’s side and Elite Development Squad fixtures, matchday content along with City Studios documentaries.
The branding of Jio will be visible across the club’s in-stadia and digital assets. As per the agreement, Jio’s associate companies, Viacom18 and RISE will also benefit from various partnership rights across their football and sports content.
Commenting on the partnership, Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms Limited), said, “We are excited to announce Jio’s exclusive partnership with Manchester City in India through which we will present City fans with experiences through a multitude of digitally powered immersive initiatives. We believe both brands share similar values of bringing transformational impact to their communities and through this partnership, we endeavour to bring the best of football to the sports communities and Man City fans in India.”
Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer, City Football Group, said, “We’re pleased to welcome Jio as an Official Partner of Manchester City today. The Club has a passionate and growing fanbase in India and we are continually exploring new ways to provide greater fan experiences for our followers in the region and around the globe, particularly within the digital and technology space. We look forward to working with Jio as we develop these opportunities throughout the partnership.”
In the company’s most recent development, Jio has launched 5G in Odisha starting with Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar. The well-known telecommunications brand has started providing 5G services in over 50 cities across India including Mumbai, Bangalore, Varanasi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Noida.
On the field, Manchester City have acquired the second spot on the Premier League table with 39 points. The unit was last seen in action earlier today against Chelsea, where the team won by 1-0.