Emirates NBD Manchester United cardholders win fully paid trips to Old Trafford

First batch of 48 lucky winners to visit The Theatre of Dreams as part of priceless experiences associated with co-branded card

Dubai, January 30, 2014: Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, announced today the first batch of 48 winners who have won a fully paid trip to Manchester to watch their favourite team train and play at Old Trafford – ‘The Theatre of Dreams.’ The lucky winners will also get a chance to experience the historic grounds of Old Trafford, dine at the famous Red Café and meet with Manchester United Legends.

The trip to Old Trafford is one of the priceless experiences being offered to UAE-based cardholders of Emirates NBD Manchester United co-branded Credit and Prepaid Cards. Emirates NBD launched the co-branded cards last year, as a result of the bank’s agreement with Manchester United Football Club, to be its exclusive financial partner in the UAE for a period of five years.

“With customer convenience being a major driving force at Emirates NBD, the bank is constantly on the lookout to offer its customers unique value-added benefits that exceed their expectations,” said R Sivaram, Head of Retail Assets & Cards Business, Emirates NBD. “We are therefore, delighted to deliver on our promise to customers, and offer them this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch their favourite team train and play at Old Trafford – ‘The Theatre of Dreams.’”

Since the launch in September 2013, the co-branded Emirates NBD Manchester United cards have received a strong and positive response from customers, with a record number of Manchester United fans applying for the cards. In addition to the opportunity to win fully paid trips every season to Old Trafford and official Manchester United signed memorabilia, the co-branded cards offer cardholders various benefits and rewards including the opportunity to win a new 2014 Chevy Camaro every quarter and enjoying attractive offers and privileges at Chevrolet. The first winner for the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro was Mr. Javed Akberali.

On receiving the Camaro Akberali said: “I am delighted to have won the Chevrolet Camaro, the first quarter grand prize on the ManUtd Card. I am very passionate about Manchester United FC and consider the features and benefits offered on this card to be very relevant and exciting to a true fan like me, especially the discounts given on merchandise. I would like to thank Emirates NBD for launching this card; it is truly a dream come true for all Man Utd fans in this region. Winning the Chevy Camaro is truly a Priceless Experience.” 

Ahmed Soudodi, Brand Manager for Chevrolet in the Middle East said: “The partnership with Emirates NBD and Manchester United Football Club has been a great success and has resulted in increased interest in our brand, which reflects the same sense of pride and possibility that is associated with Manchester United. We are delighted to work with like-minded brands and hope to bring more exciting partnerships to our customers here in the UAE.”

As further evidence of its huge success the Emirates NBD Manchester United Affinity Card program has been recognised by MasterCard as ‘The Best International Sports Affinity Co-brand Program in the UAE – 2013.’

Eyad Al Kourdi, UAE Country Manager, MasterCard said: “Sports affinity cards are an evolving trend in the UAE. The Manchester United MasterCard Credit and Prepaid Cards are examples of how we match payment solutions to market needs and provide cardholders with exclusive benefits and priceless experiences. We are extremely proud to have collaborated with Emirates NBD for this card solution and are delighted with the positive response from the bank’s customers.”

The Emirates NBD Manchester United co-branded Mastercard credit card is offered at an annual fee of AED 250. As an introductory offer however, the card is being offered Free for Life and the Prepaid Card will be issued at a one-time fee of AED 75. Cardholders are also guaranteed to receive a RED Box with exclusive Manchester United merchandize on activation and usage of the card.

About Emirates NBD:
Emirates NBD is a leading banking Group in the region. As at 30th September 2013, total assets were AED 332.3 billion. The Group has a leading retail banking franchise in the UAE, with 210 branches and over 921 ATMs and CDMs in the UAE and overseas.  It is a major player in the UAE corporate and retail banking arena and has strong Islamic Banking, Global Markets & Treasury, Investment Banking, Private Banking, Asset Management and Brokerage operations.

The Group has operations in the UAE, Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Jersey (Channel Islands), and representative offices in India, China and Indonesia.

The Group is an active participant and supporter of the UAE’s main development initiatives and of the various educational, environmental, cultural, charity and community welfare establishments.

For more information, please visit: www.emiratesnbd.com

About Manchester United
Manchester United is one of the most popular and successful sports teams in the world, playing one of the most popular spectator sports on Earth. Through our 135-year heritage we have won 62 trophies, enabling us to develop the world’s leading sports brand and a global community of 659 million followers. Our large, passionate community provides Manchester United with a worldwide platform to generate significant revenue from multiple sources, including sponsorship, merchandising, product licensing, new media & mobile, broadcasting and match day.

About MasterCard:
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, @MasterCardMEA join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.