Global automaker, General Motors and Manchester United have signed a five year sponsorship contract; to become the club’s official automotive partner.
The sponsorship will also cover the newly created Chevrolet China Cup, which is part of Manchester United 2012 Tour, delivered to the world by DHL.
According to the General Motors Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick, Chevrolet will become Man United’s official automotive partner.
“As Chevrolet continues to grow as a global brand, this is the right time to make a commitment and establish a presence in international football,” said Ewanick.
He added, “Our ambition is to connect with football in a fashion that transcends traditional sponsorship. We want to bring to life the deep appreciation we have for the game by celebrating the best that football has to offer and introducing uncommon opportunities for fans to immerse themselves in the game.”
Despite losing their status as Premier League champions toManchesterCity, Manchester United still remain at the forefront of the world game. Manchester United has a record 19 league titles and is arguably the most popular sports team in the world, with hundreds of millions of fans across Asia, Africa, Europe and theAmericas.
In April Forbes magazine ranked it the world’s most valuable football team, worth $2.24 billion.
Addressing Journalists at the ceremony, Manchester United Chief Executive David Gill said, “Our preseason tour is an important process for the Club as it allows us to prepare for the season ahead as well as engage with our fans and partners in different markets. We had a fantastic amount of support from our fans last time we played a pre-season game inChina. We were overwhelmed by the passion and excitement generated by the fans who came out to support us, and we hope that many more join us again this year. This is the first time we will play for the Chevrolet China Cup and I think it marks a fantastic start to what we believe it will be a long and successful relationship with Chevrolet.”
Chevrolet China Cup will commence in July, and it will feature matches inShanghaiand another Chinese city.
This will be Chevrolet’s first global football sponsorship in the brand’s 101-year history centers on a commitment focused on enhancing the experience for supporters of the game.
“More than 3.5 billion people follow soccer and only about 400 million people follow the NFL,” added Ewanick, referring to the US National Football League, which controls the Super Bowl. “We have to go where the customers are,” he said.
Ewanick declined to put a dollar figure on GM’s support for Manchester United, but he said the Chevrolet brand, long identified with American sports, now sells 60 percent of its vehicles outside theUnited States.
Chevrolet also announced a partnership with the One World Futbol Project, an organization focused on sustaining play for youth in impoverished regions through a revolutionary, virtually indestructible football.
Chevrolet’s support includes a pledge to donate 1.5 million One World Futbols over the next three years to organizations working with youth living in war-stricken zones, refugee camps, disaster areas and other disadvantaged communities.
Chevrolet is the first corporate sponsor of the One World Futbol Project, which has positively affected more than 525,000 lives in 137 countries.
The One World Futbol Project has helped schools, orphanages, and nonprofits use sport to resolve conflicts, teach tolerance, and build communities. The company is also an affiliate member of the streetfootballnetwork, which connects 94 football-for-social change non-profits in 61 countries.
Source: contributor
