Community pitch unveiled at Old Trafford

Apollo Tyres, which announced a three-year partnership with Manchester United last year covering India and the UK, has announced that it will be expanding that partnership to 69 countries as it launched a community pitch at Old Trafford. Reaction to the partnership – which includes plans to create a number of community pitches across India and the UK – had already been powerful, said Marco Paracciani, Chief Marketing Officer of Apollo Tyres at the event in Manchester.

Total makeover “We have effectively redesigned the whole communications for the brand... between Europe and India and other parts of the world, we have had several hundreds of customers witness the power of the brands put together. Together we have reached 27 million users.”

While not all of the new countries, in Europe, the Middle East and Thailand – to which the partnership is being extended – will see the new ‘Go The Distance’ pitches, the partnership would cover everything from joint events to in-store branding, said Paracciani. “We do have the ambition to make a globally recognized tyre brand... and the message of our decision to expand from two to 69 countries is clear.”

One for all The pitch, made from 10 tonnes of 2,200 recycled Apollo Tyres and standing in a prominent position near the statue of Sir Alex Ferguson just outside the main stadium, is set to be the first of an undisclosed number of community football pitches across India and the UK. The Old Trafford pitch will be available to the public on match days as well as for the activities of the Manchester United Foundation and the museum to engage aspiring young footballers on other days.

“We are excited about the impact that this will have on the community,” said Jonathan Rigby, Head of Manchester United FC marketing at the event. “They are specifically designed so that kids can practice control, accuracy, and agility.” He added he had visited a number of potential sites for pitches in India where they hoped to provide a safe and top-of-the-range venue for practicing football and connect with fans across the world.

“Europe and India are home to 125 million of our most fanatical followers across the world, many travelling huge distances to attend our events when we travel to their home country.”

Apollo Tyres has not disclosed the amount it has spent on the three-year partnership with Man U. Paracciani said that football and consequently its most famous team – had quickly been identified as logical partners for the company as it sought to expand awareness of its brand. “It’s a sport where the necessary skills – control, accuracy, agility, stopping power – are closely related to the properties of a tyre,” said Paracciani.

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