Pirelli’s Investment In Local Football Pays Off

When Burton Albion held Manchester United to a draw at the new Pirelli Stadium, the team and its sponsors earned more than simply a third round replay. In addition to a replay with one of the world’s best-known teams, Burton will earn an estimated £500,000 from this single appearance. And this cash is expected to virtually wipe out the debts accumulated in the building of the Pirelli stadium, providing the opportunity for the club to safely increase its revenue.

But it is not just the team itself that benefits. When Albion drew with United, there was not a newspaper, TV station, or news website in the land that did not cover the event. Without any additional PR efforts on its part, Pirelli managed to achieve nationwide (and even international) coverage, thereby increasing its already strong brand recognition levels. Not bad for sponsoring the stadium of a mid-table conference team.

The result? Albion’s chairman was deciding whether or not to build a hotel, a pub, or both on the almost brand-new stadium site; Pirelli will be smiling that in just one game the importance of their investment could be justified; and the fans got to chant “are you Tamworth in disguise?” at world class players like Wayne Rooney.