MANCHESTER UNITED has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with General Motors which will see its Chevrolet brand become the Official Automotive Partner of the club with immediate effect.
While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, and much of the value of the agreement will be in kind via the provision of Chevrolet cars to the club, Frontloaded estimates General Motors will contribute at least £3m per year in cash.
The rationale behind the partnership is straightforward. Chevrolet has dropped its Super Bowl advertising slot in America – the brand spent around $14m on ads broadcast during this year’s game – to focus on a more international marketing strategy, citing its deal with United as a partnership its hopes will help build “global icon status” for the brand.
For Manchester United, the agreement represents the first time the club has agreed a vehicle partnership with a US company and is a direct play to raise its fan base in North America.
According to research published by Kantar this week, as commissioned by the club, United has doubled its global support to 659 million fans over the past five years.
While the research cements the Premier League’s most successful team as the most popular in the world, over half of those fans are based in the Asia-Pacific region – which would explain why the partnership with Chevrolet was signed in Shanghai this week.
Detroit, USA-based Chevrolet replaces German car marque Audi, Manchester United’s official vehicle partner from April 2004.
In the knowledge that its deal with United would not be renewed, Audi retained its presence in the top tier of English football by announcing last week a three-year deal with recently-crowned UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea.
By Luke Harman
Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukeharmanSBG