Chevrolet to be Manchester United’s new sponsor
General Motors, the world’s largest car manufacturer has signed a deal with top football club Manchester United making auto brand Chevrolet the club’s official car sponsor. The five year deal hopes to place Chevrolet on the map in an attempt to grow it into a global brand. Financial terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed.
Manchester United’s fan base spans approximately 659 million people giving the Chevrolet brand a huge audience reach.
General Motors plans to tap into Asian car markets such as China, a country which has a huge following of the football club – 108 million fans to be exact.
˜Manchester United stands head and shoulders above the other teams in terms of scale, brand value and their legacy in the sport.˜ stated Paul Edwards, GM executive director of global marketing strategy.
Chevrolet dealerships will be permitted to use the Manchester United logo in stores. The football club in return will see the Chevrolet bow tie appear on signage, scoreboards, player’s benches, and interview backdrops and chairs.
General Motors also has its Vauxhall business as official sponsor to the England football team. Chevrolet will be replacing recent sponsor Audi who had sponsored the club since April 2004.