Chevy Spent Half a Billion to Sponsor Manchester United, But Players Refuse to Drive Its Free Cars

Although Manchester United’s performance on the field post-Sir Alex Ferguson hasn’t been anything to write home about thus far, the club’s global branding remains strong. Corporations still see money when they look at the team’s famed red, white and black kit (aka uniform for Americans who loathe any British soccer terms). Chevy in particular showed a lot of faith in the United brand this summer, committing to a seven-year, $560 million deal to display its image on the team’s jerseys — which prompted plenty of snickering when the designs came out.

Also funny, in a sad, tragic kind of way is this report from The Daily Mail that the United players have spurned the use of free Chevy cars to drive themselves to-and-from practice. Chevy, as is its wont, figured it would be good PR if Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie were spotted behind the wheel of a Camaro. The Mail writes that the 15 vehicles delivered by Chevy in April are sitting unused in a car park in Carrington (a/k/a a parking lot, sorry for using another British term).

According to The Mail, Rooney and Angel Di Maria drive Range Rovers and van Persie gets around in a Porsche 911 — not too shabby. Perhaps if the club didn’t transfer Tom Cleverly to Aston Villa it could have forced him to bite the bullet and drive the Chevy, if only to keep up appearances.

Manchester United host Chelsea on Sunday. No word on which mode of transport Jose Mourinho et al will take to Old Trafford. Perhaps Roman Abramovich will spring for a hovercraft or something equally lavish.