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Kawasaki Frontale Launches a Football School Business in Vietnam

Oct 10, 2024

Following an international friendly match, where a Japanese professional football club Kawasaki Frontale (Frontale) competed against a local Vietnamese football club, Frontale began its activities in Vietnam. Initially aimed at fostering international relations through football-related events, Frontale expanded its outreach by partnering with Japanese railway operator and real estate developer Tokyu Corp's local subsidiary BECAMEX TOKYU CO., LTD. (Becamex Tokyu), to establish a football school in Vietnam in May 2021.

Securing Human Resources and Operational Functions through Partnership with a Local Corporation in Vietnam

In 2013, Frontale participated in a football match against BECAMEX Binh Duong FC, a Vietnamese football club, for the "TOKYU Binh Duong Garden City Cup 2013."

Following this match, Frontale began a series of football-centric exchange activities across Vietnam. These included conducting football clinics for children, sending coaches to football club academies, organizing the "U13 International Youth Cup Vietnam," and visiting child welfare facilities. Eight years after entering the Vietnamese market, in May 2021, Frontale signed a basic cooperation agreement with Becamex Tokyu, a local corporation, to launch the first J-League club-operated football school business in Vietnam.

In advancing its business in Vietnam, Frontale faced several challenges, including the procedures for setting up a football school business and securing local human resources. The partnership with Becamex Tokyu, however, facilitated the process without the need for a separate incorporation. This collaboration allowed Frontale to navigate the necessary procedures smoothly, drawing on Tokyu’s extensive experience in establishing local entities with local companies and its solid connections with the local government.

For local talent, Frontale leveraged its partnership with Becamex Tokyu, which manages urban development projects in Vietnam. A new department to manage the football school was created within Becamex Tokyu, with five members, including two Japanese coaches from Frontale. This setup enabled the business to launch without setting up a separate local entity. While Becamex Tokyu provides the operational infrastructure, Frontale manages the core functions of the football school, such as coach deployment.

For Becamex Tokyu, active in construction projects in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, the benefit of collaborating with Frontale was the opportunity to integrate football–a sport with immense popularity in Vietnam–into their urban development, potentially increasing the city’s value.

Providing Localized coaching from Health and Education Perspectives

As of June 2022, the football school has enrolled 153 students and offers classes tailored for Vietnamese children. In Vietnam, childhood obesity is a growing social concern. Providing physical activity opportunities for children contributes to community service.

Additionally, the Japanese-style social skills, such as cleaning and tiding up, taught to children have been well-received by the affluent families targeted by Becamex Tokyu. In Vietnam, the school aims to address both health maintenance and educational objectives adopting local needs in its business development.

Providing Networking Opportunities between Japanese Companies and the Vietnamese Market

Frontale has often served as a conduit between Japanese businesses and the Vietnamese market. Some Japanese sponsor companies have requested Frontale’s assistance in connecting with Tokyu's subsidiaries involved in urban development in Vietnam.

Furthermore, Japanese companies often sponsor tournaments and events organized by Frontale in Vietnam. Those events provide networking opportunities for these sponsors, sometimes attended by the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam and local sponsoring businesses.

Toward Business Development in Other Regions Followed by Player Acquisition

In January 2022, Thai star player Chanathip Songkrasin joined Frontale. In May 2022, Frontale held a football clinic in Thailand for the first time in two years, engaging with local fans. The team's recognition in Thailand has grown significantly since acquiring Chanathip. Frontale aims to leverage its experience in Vietnam to promote a virtuous cycle of increased recognition and business development in Thailand as well.