Chevrolet Welcomes Manchester United to Michigan

DETROIT, July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

• Saturday's Guinness International Champions Cup match vs. Real Madrid CF at Michigan Stadium will be Manchester United's first-ever match in Michigan
• Southeastern Michigan charities and children to benefit via community efforts

Chevrolet this week is welcoming Manchester United to Michigan for its first-ever match in the state, Saturday (Aug. 2) at the University of Michigan's "Big House" in Ann Arbor vs. Real Madrid.

Manchester United will wear its Chevrolet-branded shirts during the match, which will be presented by Chevrolet as part of the club's 2014-15 pre-season tour and the 2014 Guinness International Champions Cup. Chevrolet kicked off its seven-year shirt sponsorship with Manchester United on July 7.

"Being the Official Vehicle of the ICC and the presenting sponsor of this match is an important and proud moment for the Chevrolet family, including our thousands of employees and vast dealer network across the state and the country," said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet. 

"This match, and Chevrolet's partnership with Manchester United, is about more than a shirt sponsorship. It's about using the power of play and the passion for this sport to make a positive impact around the world.  So through our 'What Do You #PlayFor?' campaign, we want to make sure Manchester United's first visit to the state of Michigan will benefit the community." 

Chevrolet donated for auction several ticket packages to the match, with proceeds supporting the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and the American Cancer Society's Cattle Baron's Ball.

Additionally, Chevrolet is hosting a Manchester United Soccer School clinic Friday at Clark Park in downtown Detroit.  The clinic will include 32 children from the Detroit PAL youth soccer program working with MUSS coaches on a variety of skills and techniques.

On Saturday, any fan attending the match can stop by Chevrolet's display at Pioneer High School and meet Manchester United legends Bryan Robinson and Andy Cole, participate in a soccer skills challenge, and play in a virtual soccer simulator.

The events are part of Chevrolet's global "What Do You #PlayFor?" campaign launched in March to inspire soccer fans and to make a lasting impact in places where play is needed.

The United Way for Southeastern Michigan received six exclusive ticket packages from Chevrolet that were auctioned off last month. The packages included four tickets to the match, hospitality, pre-game access and more. Each auction winner also will receive a game-worn Manchester United shirt.

For the Cattle Baron's Ball, Chevrolet donated ticket packages for the match at Michigan Stadium and for another at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United in the United Kingdom. The Old Trafford ticket package, to be auctioned off at the Sept. 27 ball, includes four luxury box tickets, a meet-and-greet with Manchester United legends and signed memorabilia.

Chevrolet began its shirt sponsorship with Manchester United on July 7 and is celebrating by inviting fans around the world to upload photos of themselves wearing a digital version of the new shirt at www.ChevroletFC.com. Chevrolet also 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.

Chevrolet will continue to celebrate its debut on the new Manchester United shirt over the next several weeks, including a memorable moment for fans at Manchester United's 2014-15 opening Premier League match against Swansea City FC on Aug. 16 at Old Trafford.

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 Chevrolet