Marriott Bonvoy announces a Manchester United partnership – bid for experiences at Old Trafford

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

Here is one I didn’t see coming. Marriott Bonvoy, the loyalty scheme for Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, W, St Regis, Renaissance, The Ritz-Carlton etc, has just announced a new partnership with Manchester United.

Etihad is, of course, the core sponsor of Manchester City. In London, Emirates is the core sponsor of Arsenal and makes seats, including VIP box seats, available for Skywards miles redemptions. Malaysia Airlines sponsors Liverpool.

Marriott Bonvoy and Manchester United

What will Marriott Bonvoy offer with Manchester United?

Details are on the Manchester United website here.

It will offer “exclusive opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime Manchester United football experiences, including the chance to become the club’s Stadium Announcer or Kit Manager for the day”.

These are examples of what you will be able to bid for:

‘Stadium Announcer’ Experience – Marriott Bonvoy members will have the chance to go behind the scenes at the iconic ‘Theatre of Dreams,’ shadowing the stadium announcer with their pre-match preparations. Prior to the game, the member and a guest will soak up the atmosphere pitch side, before enjoying VIP hospitality, including match tickets and a meet and greet with a former player.

Welcome the Team on arrival at Old Trafford – Members and their guest arriving at Old Trafford on matchday will head pitch side to meet a Manchester United legend before making their way to the player’s tunnel to be in prime position to welcome the team as they step off the coach and head into the dressing room to prepare for the game.

‘Kit Manager’ Experience – Members will be able to add a final finesse to the home dressing room at Old Trafford pre-game as they shadow the first team Kit Manager. The member and a guest will help prepare the match kit ahead of the players’ arrival before heading pitchside to be met by a Manchester United Legend. After the hard work is done, the member will be able to sit back and relax whilst enjoying pre and post-match VIP hospitality.

The first packages are now available to bid for:

VIP hospitality and seats for Manchester Utd v Southampton

VIP box seats with hospitality for Manchester Utd v Southampton

“Kit manager” including VIP hospitality for Manchester Utd v Watford

Your child is the Manchester Utd mascot for the game v Watford

VIP box seats with hospitality for Manchester Utd v Watford

Shadow the stadium announcer plus VIP seats for Manchester Utd v Watford

VIP box seats with hospitality for Manchester Utd v West Ham

It is a shame that these are all auction items because it makes it difficult to plan too far in advance – hopefully a few direct ticket redemptions will be available in the future. Given the global fan reach of Manchester United it seems a smart move by Marriott.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (December 2021)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card usually comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

American Express Marriott Bonvoy credit card

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card? It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status. We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points with American Express Gold (20,000 bonus points), the American Express Rewards Credit Card (5,000 bonus points) and – for small business owners – American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus points) and Business Platinum (40,000 bonus points).

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

(Want to earn more hotel points? Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Category

Marriott Bonvoy

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

mutley says:

20 Feb20 February 17:56

Rob,

Kmac said Highbury, he is correct in that the exec boxes then were behind glass, since Arsenal moved to the Emirates the corporate hospitality is as you say open from the diamond suite.

Perhaps I’ve totally missed the point, but most footy fans don’t need heated seats as they spend most of the time standing anyway!
- Alex W says:
  
  20 Feb20 February 21:24
  
  Yep I’m with Kmac, those in the boxes miss out on the real experience IMHO.
  - Spurs Debs says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 07:10
    
    Those in boxes are rarely footy fans, it’s all about “ being in the box” not the football.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  20 Feb20 February 21:55
  
  Away fans maybe. Home fans get told to sit down repeatedly at most stadia across the uk.
  - Rob says:
    
    20 Feb20 February 22:05
    
    Must admit, never seen much standing at Arsenal.
    - Spurs Debs says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 07:08
      
      Well that’s because there’s no standing at the Libary also no singing.
    - Shoestring says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 08:16
      
      Best supporters thing I saw this week was the Liverpool fans completely drowning out the annoying CL anthem at the beginning of their match with Bayern
      
      1:0 before the ref even blew his whistle 🙂
    - Crafty says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 10:33
      
      Yeah but it was 0-0…
N says:

20 Feb20 February 17:58

Excellent stuff imo.

Auction element is irritating but I’m sure we can get over it. I’m in Manc for weekend of 16/3 but no packages available for the MU/MC game that weekend – I suppose they’re being saved for Marriott’s real VIPs…!
KMac says:

20 Feb20 February 18:21

Highbury exec boxes were 100% glass. And a terrible experience too.

Appreciate that the Emirates is different. That said, it is hardly an authentic experience. My concern is more deep rooted in that the more corporates, the less affordable seats. I’m sure that 50k businessmen would make for a raucous atmosphere.

Spot on with what mutley says – all events are sadly filled by the prawn sandwich brigade. Sooner or later it will all go bang….

As for @waribai – are you looking forward to the ‘cheese room’ at the new Spurs stadium? I bet Daniel Levy hopes that you are.
- Waribai says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 07:27
  
  @kmac At £30k for the season that was never going to rock my boat. Also, I have close ties to France so Daniel Levy’s selection of cheeses are unlikely to wow me! I do though admittedly like to occasionally go for hospitality but funnily enough not in the big games. I find for an FA cup tie against Rushden and Diamonds an evening in corporate hospitality is quite fun but for a serious game I want to be where the atmosphere is!
- Spurs Debs says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 07:29
  
  unfortunately no cheese room, To say us spurs fans are “ cheesed” off at the announcement is an understatement. I will take my own dairy lea triangles to make up for the disappointment.
Travelnotfootball says:

20 Feb20 February 20:07

Can’t decide if this or Emirates football tickets are the less exciting option – really did not need a whole urgent article for these sort of dreadful redemptions!
- Rob says:
  
  20 Feb20 February 20:13
  
  We gave away Man City (thanks Etihad) and Liverpool (thanks Malaysia) tickets at the HFP Christmas party last year.
  - Nathan says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 08:14
    
    Gave away being the key for me. Sorry but I’d never pay, again, for such an, unfortunately these days, anodyne ‘experience’. The last match I went to was Dulwich Hamlet at home, had a cracking time. By the by, I’ve been in a few boxes in my time and my winner is … Sunderland. Excellent catering 👍
Sussex Bantam says:

21 Feb21 February 08:36

I’m sort of surprised by the vitriolic response received to this article. The big Premier League teams are almost all a “tourist” experience now (except maybe Anfield) – this is just another way to buy into that. I actually think some of the behind the scenes options are quite interesting.

You’re not going to get the “proper football” experience in the Premier League. If that is what you want then you should find a game in the Championship, League 1, League 2 or below…
- Brian says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 10:01
  
  Or go to the Continent – Dortmund games are supposed to be good.
  - Sussex Bantam says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 10:32
    
    Dortmund games are indeed very good !
    - Spurs Debs says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 10:51
      
      Yep the last Dortmund game I watched was excellent 3-0 to Spurs.
    - Sussex Bantam says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 10:55
      
      Indeed Spurs Debs – that was very good. Going to the second leg ?
    - Waribai says:
      
      22 Feb22 February 02:08
      
      +1 The bars lining the walk to the stadium are something else and then you have the actual atmosphere in the ground itself!
      An amazing experience.
  - Spurs Debs says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 11:04
    
    No I can’t I’m off to NY in couple of weeks, I have been to rest of away CL games this season but just can’t do this one.
    - Sussex Bantam says:
      
      21 Feb21 February 13:12
      
      Hopefully its all over anyway and you can save your cash for the next round !
Shoestring says:

21 Feb21 February 10:47

Time to fess up – I’m *not* a so-called real supporter and perfectly proud of it. I don’t get to waste huge amounts of money following ‘my’ team – which seems a random choice usually based irrationally on historic family affiliations or geography of birth. Think about it – anybody born in the South West or Wales doesn’t even have a decent team to choose from, even if they wanted to. Perhaps they should have blended Bristol Rovers & City to form a proper side in the only large town down here, nobody had the sense to see the commercial opportunity so far. I could yet make my fortune.

So instead of your blood sweat & tears, every week I get to watch my top 6 teams that I support – plus every now & then I get a Leicester to support as well when we won the league in 2016. Think about it – one of my teams wins the league every year, you can’t boast that with your ‘real’ support for a ‘real’ team. I watch them on TV with a great live commentary that sure beats your atmosphere. Atmosphere = you’ll get beaten up, heckled rudely or jostled by rival fans who can’t take getting beat, mature or what?

I’ve been to a few live matches in my time, we had an Exec box at Aston Villa for a few years when they were a force. Boy, those prawn sandwiches were tasty, I’d do that again in a flash if I got it for free.
- Crafty says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 14:40
  
  I have never been beaten up, heckled rudely or jostled by rival fans.
- xcalx says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 16:36
  
  Harry its a bit early for the red
Sussex Bantam says:

21 Feb21 February 10:59

“doesn’t have a decent team to choose from”….

Bristol Rovers and Bristol City and both decent teams. Hundreds of years of history between them, some great players and great games in their past, loyal and strong support.

A team doesn’t have to win the Premier League to be decent !

(And now I’m kicking myself for rising to the bait)
- Sussex Bantam says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 11:01
  
  And Wales have a Premier League side in Cardiff and one who very recently won a major honour in Swansea plus Newport who have had a fantastic FA Cup run this year.
- Jay says:
  
  21 Feb21 February 12:20
  
  You have to allow Harry to have those rants without responding. You should have stopped reading at “I’m *not* a so-called real supporter…” the rest of the three paragraph rant is just to bait you into a response 🙂
  - Flashman says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 13:05
    
    Harry/ Shoestring,
    
    The speccy kid at school who didn’t like sport, and got sand kicked in his face!!!!!
  - Sussex Bantam says:
    
    21 Feb21 February 13:12
    
    I know I know….you would think I’d have been around here long enough not to fall for such an obvious trick…
ken tinsley says:

22 Feb22 February 11:08

The “its not proper football” has been done to death.
The game is a world away from when I started going in the 1970’s and you could rock up and pay on the gate for almost every league match. Stadiums were literally crumbling and there was the threat of violence at many matches.
I’m not sure I’d want my lad to ‘enjoy’ the same experiences as I had, despite some great memories.

Liverpool were getting only 30k for some home matches while winning the league.
The age profile of match going supporters is probably in the mid 50’s compared with mid 20’s some 30 years ago.
The closest I got to luxury was hiring a cushion for 20p at Goodison, which then rained on to the pitch after a dismal match.
Let’s face it – ‘we’ are never getting ‘our’ game back. It’s going to follow the money and be closer to an NFL ‘experience’ with most supporters attending a couple of matches (bar say Green Bay Packers) a season.
The only comparable experience these days is to get the coach and go to an away match with ale smuggled on to the coach. Perhaps the only difference will be the smell of weed and pairs of blokes sharing a toilet cubicle to powder their nose.
Face facts. Murdoch won, the people lost.