SANTA ANA, Calif. (Aug. 10, 2016) — When it comes to English Premier League soccer, you may be hard pressed to find a bigger Chelsea FC fan than Daniel E.
Daniel, a Phoenix, Ariz. resident, won Yokohama Tire Corp.'s True Blue Fan Challenge, a contest that sought “the ultimate Chelsea FC fan.” His short video, detailing why he is one of the soccer team's biggest fans, was chosen by Yokohama from hundreds of submissions, the Santa Ana-based tire maker said.
“Daniel's enthusiasm really did show us he's a super true blue Chelsea fan,” said Alan Holtschneider, Yokohama's director of marketing.
As the grand prize winner, Daniel received an all-expenses-paid trip to Pasadena, Calif., on July 27, where he had the opportunity to watch Chelsea take on Premier League rival Liverpool FC at the Rose Bowl. In additional, Daniel won $1,000 in spending money and a 2016-2017 Chelsea FC jersey signed by the first team squad.
In addition to the grand prize, two second-place winners received a set of Yokohama tires and a Chelsea FC jersey. Ten third-place winners won a Chelsea FC jersey.
“It was great to see so many fans enter and show us how passionate they are about the team,” Mr. Holtschneider added. “That's what makes our partnership with Chelsea so rewarding.”
Yokohama is the official shirt partner of Chelsea FC. The multimillion-dollar deal signed in February 2015 allows the Yokohama logo to appear across the front of all the team's jerseys.
Chelsea FC was founded in 1905 and is considered one of the Premier League's most prestigious clubs. The team — nicknamed the “Blues” — has five league titles and seven FA Cups. In addition, the club has won UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and the UEFA Europa League in 2013 — making it the only United Kingdom club to win all three of the UEFA's major club competitions.