MANCHESTER, England, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Sir Alex Ferguson, first team manager of Manchester United, and Richard Arnold, Commercial Director, together with the chairman of Concha y Toro, Alfonso Larrain and the global marketing manager Giancarlo Bianchetti, officially signed the partnership between Manchester United and Concha y Toro (NYSE: VCO), watched by some of the star players of the first team squad. This three-year deal makes Concha y Toro the official wine partner of the English club.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100917/LT63857 )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100917/LT63857 )
At a ceremony at the Old Trafford stadium, Sir Alex Ferguson said, "There are many similarities between wine and football. In football we seek the best young players to develop and form them from their beginnings to make them outstanding Manchester United players. And I have seen a similarity with Concha y Toro, which seeks to harvest the best grapes, produce the best wines and have the patience and intelligence to ensure that the end result is perfect. Vina Concha y Toro shares these qualities with Manchester United and it is therefore a tremendous pleasure for me to be part of this partnership which I sincerely hope will have an excellent future."
Alfonso Larrain said that "At this time when Chile is celebrating its Bicentenary, we are depositaries as a company of the global recognition that our brand of wines has achieved, reflecting the history of Chilean winemaking throughout our life and capitalizing on the positioning achieved. Chile is a world-class wine-producing country. This partnership gives us a visibility and unique reach for a wine brand and this is why today is a landmark in our history."
The signing of the partnership continues tonight with a gala dinner hosted by Manchester United legends. Finally, on Sunday the guests will have the opportunity to watch Manchester United play Liverpool. The deal will see Concha y Toro's logo on the digital boards at each of the home games for three years, in addition to their wines being served within the hospitality suites at Old Trafford. Concha y Toro will also be able to use the club's intellectual property and official emblems for communications purposes.
