Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos on Friday announced a partnership with 2013 Myanmar National League champions Yangon United, their second such agreement with a Southeast Asian nation.
The pact will see the current J-League leaders contribute their experience as league founders to Myanmar's growing football culture. The two sides agreed to personnel and know-how exchanges in addition to mutual development of sponsorship and other commercial opportunities.
Earlier this summer, Marinos announced a similar agreement with Thailand's Suphanburi FC. They are among a number of Japanese clubs to form pacts with SEA clubs as the J-League looks to expand into the region's growing football market.
"It's our pleasure to become an official partner of Marinos, one of the best teams in Asia," said United president Pye Phyo Tay Za in a statement. "We believe this partnership will be a win-win for both of our clubs."
Myanmar is one of five countries whose players will be eligible for a designated SEA roster spot in Japan's newly-established J3, which is set to begin play in 2014. Professional leagues in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore also have formal cooperation agreements with the J-League.
"It’s our hope that we contribute to the development of Yangon United FC," Marinos president Akira Kaetsu said in the same joint statement. "We're developing a new business model based on our partnerships with ASEAN clubs."
Source : Goal.com
