FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Stars , in partnership with Neltex Sports , announced today the commencement of a hockey development agreement with the Beijing Shougang Hockey Club based in Beijing, China. As part of the Stars overall grow-the-game initiative, this first-of-its-kind agreement will see the Dallas Stars amateur coaching staff work with the Shougang Eagles team to help further develop their skills in advance of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Coaches from the Dallas Stars amateur hockey programs are spending time in Beijing, China working with these elite hockey prospects and in turn, the Shougang Eagles will train in DFW with the coaching staff locally. Two extended visits to China by the Dallas Stars staff have already taken place to date.

In addition, the Dallas Stars also announced the launch of their first Weibo account, the social media giant which is the number one social platform in China with over 461 million active monthly users. As part of this new digital presence, the Stars will actively publish localized social content created specifically for this new geographic and cultural market. The Dallas Stars would be the fifth NHL club to enter the Chinese digital space.

"The Dallas Stars are extremely honored to be working with Neltex Sports and Shougang Hockey Club in this endeavor," said Dallas Stars President Brad Alberts. "Our commitment to growing the game while also growing our digital footprint across the globe is vitally important to the continued growth of our brand."

"When Shougang Hockey Club asked Neltex to provide a comprehensive plan for its hockey team, our highest priority was to find them the right player development partner," said Neltex Sports President Scott Sonju. "We confidently recommended the Dallas Stars because we knew they had both the wherewithal and collaborative mindset to be an outstanding partner."

"Shougang Hockey Club was established in September 2018 and represents a very important part of Shougang Sports, extending the footprint of Shougang Sports within the sports industry. Shougang Sports has enjoyed a great partnership with Neltex Sports and looks forward to this unique initiative with the Dallas Stars," said a representative from Shougang Hockey Club. "The vision, expertise, and facilities of the Stars makes them an ideal partner to help our hockey team maximize its potential."

About Neltex Sports

Neltex Sports is an owner and operator of multiple sports teams and sports related businesses. In addition to operating its own teams, Neltex provides consulting services and solutions to owners, prospective owners, and managers of sports properties. For the past two years, in partnership with Shougang Sports and the Chinese Baseball Association, Neltex brought the Chinese National Baseball Team to North Texas to train and play as part of the Texas AirHogs, an independent minor league baseball team owned by Neltex.