Soccer-Chinese Super League secures 11th-hour sponsor

BEIJING, March 2 (Reuters) - The Chinese Super League (CSL) secured a title sponsor on the eve of the new season for the second year in a row when Shenzhen brewers Kingway agreed a deal, local media reported on Friday.

The state-owned company sponsored the Shenzhen CSL team last season and replaces British internet phone company Iphox, which signed an eight-year deal just before last season but withdrew after failing to get its products licensed in China.

State television CCTV said the deal was worth 36-38 million yuan ($4.65-$4.91 million) to the troubled league.

German electronics company Siemens was the title sponsor of the first CSL season in 2004 but pulled out when the league became mired in a series of match-fixing scandals.

The 2007 season kicks off on Saturday, with Beijing Guoan's match against the product of last week's merger between Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai United the highlight of the weekend.