Chevrolet to Host 11 Children From Around the World at Old Trafford for Special Experience with Manchester United

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Aug 12, 2014, 11:39 ET

DETROIT, Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Inspiring children will serve as mascots for Manchester United's first Premier League match of the season, attend club's soccer school, receive tour of Old Trafford and meet members of first team and club legends
Boys and girls are from Brazil, China, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, among others

Chevrolet today announced it is hosting 11 children from around the world in Manchester, England this week to serve as mascots for Manchester United's Premier League season opener on Saturday at Old Trafford.

The children – ages 10-13 from Brazil, China, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, among others – are visiting as part of Chevrolet's "What Do You #PlayFor?" campaign to bring football fans closer to the sport and spread the power of play around the world.

"Enabling these children to live the dream of being on the Old Trafford pitch with the Manchester United first team is an unprecedented and dramatic way to celebrate our global partnership with the club and our mission to spread the power of play around the world," said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet. "Watching them walk onto the pitch is sure to inspire football fans everywhere, and certainly will be special for their families and friends, as well as everyone at Chevrolet and Manchester United."

In addition to serving as mascots, the children will attend Manchester United's famed Soccer School, meet club legends, receive a tour of the Club's iconic Old Trafford stadium, and more.

"We are delighted to welcome such a diverse lineup of mascots to Old Trafford," said Richard Arnold, Manchester United Group managing director. "This is the first time our mascots have travelled from such a wide range of countries and the occasion truly demonstrates the Club's global fan base and worldwide appeal. It is rare for 11 mascots to lead out the team, and their inclusion shows both Manchester United and Chevrolet's desire to mark this very special day."

The children were selected to serve as mascots due in part to their love of the game, determination to overcome a variety of challenges, and use play to realize anything is possible. The opportunity to be a mascot is part of Chevrolet's "What Do You #PlayFor?" campaign to bring football fans closer to the sport and spread the power of play around the world. Each child's story is featured at www.ChevroletFC.com.

Since announcing its partnership with Manchester United in 2012, Chevrolet has used football to spread the power of play worldwide, including donating nearly 1 million nearly indestructible balls from the One World Futbol Project for use by more than 26 million youth in 60-plus countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

Chevrolet also recently revitalized a pitch in Bandung, Indonesia, on behalf of a local organization that uses soccer to increase the quality of life for people living with HIV and drug addiction. Chevrolet also donated a pop‑up pitch and pickup truck and trailer to help transform gang-ridden areas of Chicago into places where children can play and learn valuable life skills.

To celebrate its new, seven-year Manchester United shirt sponsorship, Chevrolet is inviting fans around the world to upload photos of themselves wearing a digital version of the new shirt at www.ChevroletFC.com. Chevrolet also recently released a video on www.ChevroletFC.com featuring Manchester United players, legends and fans paying homage to the history of the club's shirts. The video has attracted more than 10 million views.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About Manchester United
Manchester United is one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the world, playing one of the most popular spectator sports on Earth. Through our 136-year heritage we have won 62 trophies, enabling us to develop the world's leading sports brand and a global community of 659 million followers. Our large, passionate community provides Manchester United with a worldwide platform to generate significant revenue from multiple sources, including sponsorship, merchandising, product licensing, new media & mobile, broadcasting and match day.

SOURCE General Motors