Expedia sponsors football refs
Expedia has signed a deal to become the official sponsor of English football referees.
The agreement, signed with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMO), will see the Expedia brand appear on the shirts of match officials at all English Premier League, Football League, FA Cup and League Cup matches.
The one-year deal kicked off on Sunday at the Community Shield match between Chelsea and Manchester City. Expedia estimates that the contract will give it access to a cumulative global TV audience in excess of five billion people.
“Sports and travel connect people and bring cultures together. Football fans are immensely passionate about the game and they will travel anywhere to support their teams. At Expedia, we understand the passion and inspiration behind these trips and there is no better opportunity to showcase the breadth of Expedia’s offerings than on English football’s greatest stage, a global sport that attracts over 1.2 billion viewers across Asia. It is through such strong collaborations that we can connect with our customers across our local sites in Asia, such as Expedia.com.sg, Expedia.co.th, and the soon-to-launch, Expedia.com.my,” said Dan Lynn, CEO of Expedia in Asia.
Andrew Warner, Senior Marketing Director of Expedia EMEA added; “Travel represents one of the biggest online purchases an individual will make and both sporting and travel decisions can carry huge financial and emotional implications. At Expedia we have helped travellers make good decisions for over fifteen years and welcome the newly formed association with some of the highest profile decision makers and role models from the world of sport.”
The partnership follows the recent tie-up between the PGMO and Expedia’s partner, AirAsia.