SPG Sports is pleased to announce that Pallavolo Padova has signed a strategic club-to-club partnership agreement with Tokyo Great Bears, a professional V.League Division 1 club based in Tokyo, Japan.

The Tokyo Great Bears is a professional club founded in May 2022 by Nature Lab Co. Ltd with the goal of connecting people, regions, and countries through volleyball to make this sport more attractive and engaging. The club competes in the highest level of Japanese volleyball and represents one of the largest cities in the world.

The three year partnership between the two clubs aims to contribute to the development of Japanese and Italian volleyball by sharing the knowledge and expertise of both organizations to increase the value of the volleyball brand in their respective countries. This strategic collaboration between the two volleyball clubs is expected to have a significant impact on the sport's growth and development in both nations.

Pallavolo Padova sees this agreement as an opportunity to exchange knowledge with a modern club. "The Tokyo Great Bears' highly creative and forward-thinking brand has impressed us positively," commented the Head of Marketing, Marco Gianesello. "From this perspective, we are proud to have formed a partnership with the best club in Japan, which will allow us to be even more recognizable throughout the Asian market."

Tokyo Great Bears Chief Executive Officer Kenji Kubota said, "We are delighted to have signed a strategic partnership agreement with Pallavolo Padova, one of Italy's most prestigious clubs with more than 50 years of history. In the establishment of the planned academy and the construction and operation of the arena, we believe that it is the perfect time to learn the knowledge of Pallavolo Padova, which has a brilliant track record. We will also use this partnership not only to strengthen our team on the volleyball court but also as an opportunity to think about and implement the role we can play in realizing a sustainable society as a volleyball club."

Pallavolo Padova President Giancarlo Bettio stated, "Signing a partnership with Tokyo Great Bears, a club representing one of the largest cities in the world, fills us with pride. This is a great opportunity for Pallavolo Padova, which, in line with its ambitions, aims to grow strategically and commercially at an international level. This agreement represents an opportunity not only to support each other in a strictly sporting sense but also to increase the value that both Pallavolo Padova and Tokyo Great Bears have off the playing field."

The Councilor for Sports of the Municipality of Padua, Diego Bonavina, added, "As the city of Padua, we are very happy that an agreement has been reached between Pallavolo Padova and Tokyo Great Bears, one of the most prestigious clubs in Japan. It is also a great opportunity to showcase one of the excellences of our city around the world, particularly in the Asian market. The sharing of knowledge by both entities can only increase the prestige and visibility enjoyed by volleyball as both a sport and an embodiment of values."

Director of Sports Section of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Kentaro Kato: "We are very pleased that the Tokyo Great Bears, who have been blowing a new wind towards the volleyball industry since the team's establishment, have signed the volleyball industry's first strategic partnership agreement with the prestigious Italian club, Pallavolo Padova. We hope to see the fusion of the tradition driven by Padova and the creativity brought by Tokyo Great Bears will create new excitement for many spectators and contribute to the promotion of sports not only in Tokyo and Padua but also in the world through volleyball."

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