The Harlem Globetrotters and the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company announced a five-year partnership that will bring the Globetrotters back to China next month.

The two-week tour of China, which will begin on July 6 in Baotou, continues the team's ongoing global touring itinerary. Last week, the Globetrotters wrapped their annual tour of Europe, a 13-week tour in which they played 74 games in 17 countries and generated 15 sold-out performances in France, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

The team also recently wrapped a 10-city tour of Australia in April, which included five sell-outs, as part of a strategic partnership with Australia's National Basketball League.

"We are very excited to announce this new partnership in China, an increasingly important market with a rise in basketball culture and popularity of the Globetrotters," said Howard Smith, president of Harlem Globetrotters International. "Combined with our successful recent tours of Europe and Australia, the upcoming tour in China is further evidence of the growing popularity of the Globetrotters brand all over the world."

As part of the partnership in China, the Globetrotters will play eight-to-12 shows in China annually over each of the next five years.  The Globetrotters plan to implement year-round marketing in China, including potential basketball clinics, school visits as part of their vital role as Ambassadors of Goodwill, and local sponsorship opportunities.

The 2018 tour is the first in a five-year partnership with the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company, one of the leaders in integrated marketing in China since its establishment in 2006. The company has established great market advantages in sports and entertainment, IP marketing, new retail and terminal marketing, and social media and digital content.

"We can't wait to bring the Harlem Globetrotters back to China," said Dang Ming, CEO of the Beijing Aspiring Integrated Marketing Company. "The Globetrotters have introduced basketball to millions of young people throughout our country, and we're excited to welcome them back next month."

Next month's tour of China is part of a banner year for the Globetrotters in 2018, with over 450 games being played in over 25 countries before numerous sell-out crowds.  The team will also tour Israel in September and play their annual military tour in October with games planned for the Middle East.