MG Motor, new CONMEBOL Sudamericana official sponsor
The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and MG – SAIC Motor have reached an agreement for the next two seasons until December 2022
MG Motor has established a place in the world of sports -especially in football- and today it makes the leap in its history at a regional level, by announcing the unprecedented agreement with the South American Football Confederation becoming the new Official Sponsor of the Copa CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
“For us it is a great pride to be part of this important event for the region, taking this challenge with great excitement, in which we started to support such an important international cup in South America. This undoubtedly marks a new milestone in our history, as it is the first time in the world that MG Motor has collaborated in an event of this magnitude”, highlighted Wu Gang, General Manager of SAIC Motor South America, the owner and manufacturer of MG Motor.
“We are proud to have the support of a recognized international brand in the automotive sector such as MG Motor. We believe that their commitment to South American football respond to the excellent moment that this sport is experiencing in the continent, both sporting level and management, as well as its projection and growth next years ”, said José Astigarraga, General Secretary of the CONMEBOL.
Thanks to this agreement with CONMEBOL, MG – SAIC Motor will benefit from brand exposure across South America and worldwide trough in stadia branding, activations, CONMEBOL Sudamericana broadcast and digital assets. This agreement also goes beyond sports in real life, since MG Motor will also appear in FIFA 22 ®, which means a great opportunity for gamers to get to know the company through of the MG logo display at different times.
MG joins renowned global brands who already work together with CONMEBOL in the development of their club competitions and in making South American football a world reference.
CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2021
CONMEBOL Sudamericana will have a new format as of this season that will include a Group Phase and increases the number of matches, from 105 to 157.
The amount to be distributed in the different phases of the tournament rises from USD 47,200,000 to USD 58,960,000, which represents an increase of 25% compared to 2020.
The tournament start date is scheduled for March 16, 2021.
Drive Your Passion
Close to turning 100 years, MG Motor was born after the association of the English William Morris and Cecil Kimber, who stood out for the manufacture of vehicles with fast and entertaining to drive bodyworks, registering Morris Garages officially on May 1st, 1924. Among some historical records are the two speed marks achieved in 1957 and 1959. In 2007 MG Motor began a new chapter, after it became part of the automotive giant SAIC Motor -ranked 7th out of all automotive manufacturers in the prestigious Fortune Global 500 list- who seeks to carry the brand’s heritage towards the mobility of the future, with increasingly efficient and intelligent vehicles within people’s reach through the Drive Your Passion concept.
Globalization has become an important strategy for SAIC Motor in recent years, as the MG Motor brand has been one the brands with most growth in the countries that have entered. In South America, it has presence in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia, with a wide range of models, both for passengers and SUVs, highlighting among them the MG HS, MG ZS, MG 5 and MG 3, for their great combination of equipment, safety, connectivity and design.
It is worth mentioning that in the competitive Chilean automotive industry, MG Motor has won “Best Value Car 2019” (with the MG3), and the “Best Brand 2020” awards, delivered by the Automotive Press. Another landmark is to have been the brand with the most growth in the Chilean market in 2020; part of this success is due to the sales success of the MG ZS that remained the number one seller in the SUV segment throughout the year.
Espíritu MG: “Always young, be passionate”
The brand of British origin has already made headlines in football for having been the sponsoring firm of several clubs internationally, showing its support for a passion that goes beyond engines and four wheels, and that is seen through the competitive spirit of the “king of sports” around the world. Thus, since 2019 it has become the global partner of Liverpool FC of England. In the Middle East, meanwhile, he supports the Al-Ahli team from Saudi Arabia.
South America is also part of this alliance with the sport, being the official sponsor of Sporting Cristal from Peru for more than a year and it was also the main sponsor of the Colo Colo jersey from 2018 to the end of 2020.
“Just as at MG Motor we like to make our customers’ hearts beat, we know that football has a similar effect on fans, and it is for that same passion that we are happy to support this type of initiative and thus continue to expand as a brand in the region and the world”, adds Wu Gang.
Football in South America plays a fundamental sociocultural role, which has made it the king of sports at the regional level. This sponsorship offers the possibility of involving the automotive world with football -and vice versa- beyond the connection and synergy that currently exists, reaching every corner of the continent.
Finally, says the General Manager of SAIC Motor South America, this alliance -which will last until December 2022- “It is very important for the brand, since it enriches the sports DNA that MG Motor seeks and gives the possibility of sponsoring one of the most important tournaments in South America and the world”.