Besiktas signs promotion deal with Japanese media

Besiktas has signed a partnership with one of Japan’s largest media organizations as the club seeks to expand into Asia.

Two of Japan’s largest media organizations, The Mainichi Newspapers Co. and Sports Nippon Newspapers (Sponichi) banded together and signed an agreement with Besiktas on September 14 to promote the club and its brand across Asia.

The Mainichi-Sponichi team will manage branding in Japan for Besiktas — owner of the Istanbul-based Besiktas football club among many other sports franchises — and Turkish football overall. In addition, it will also work with Besiktas to promote Japan-Turkey sports exchanges leading up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

Founded in 1903, Besiktas JK is Turkey’s oldest professional football club, and has won the country’s top flight, the Super Lig, 15 times.

At a news conference in Istanbul, Besiktas Chairman Fikret Orman told reporters that he would like to work with such venerable media outlets as The Mainichi Newspapers Co. and Sports Nippon Newspapers on many different projects in order to expand the club’s reach in Asia.