Umbro and Manchester City Football Club today celebrated the new Manchester City home kit at a packed gig featuring some of the best Manchester musical talent, in the shadow of the great City of Manchester stadium.
Local legends, Doves, brought the ‘Live from City’ event to a climax with a storming, headline set, supported by up-and-coming talent, which included the hotly-tipped Twisted Wheel, Kid British and Answering Machine as well as a performance from members of Manchester City’s own Kickz project.
Hacienda original and DJ icon, Mike Pickering, enjoyed a rapturous reception before the final act with an upbeat set of Manchester classics, hyping the crowd for the arrival of Doves.
The 5,000 strong audience for this free event received tickets with their purchase of the new Manchester City home kit, effectively selling the show out within just days of the new kit becoming available through pre-order.
This innovative launch, which sought to reward true fans for their support through a celebration of Manchester culture, is the first part of a ten-year brand partnership between Umbro and Manchester City FC.
Umbro’s Chief Marketing Officer, Trevor Cairns, commented: “Both Umbro and Manchester City FC are institutions of Manchester, sharing a common passion for football and the part that Manchester plays in the culture of global football. We felt that this association and the people who make this a reality – the fans - should be celebrated and fittingly rewarded. It was a fantastic night.”
Manchester City FC’s home kit for the 2009/10 season is on sale from today. Inspired by the club’s heritage, the new kit will benefit from Umbro’s football tailoring process, delivering performance and style on and off the pitch.
The home kit combines design elements from the past with new technology, refined detailing and a tailored aesthetic. Each seam on the crew-neck shirt has been selected for a specific function and the crest has been painstakingly recreated to bring a new level of detail to the club’s identity.
Every part of the design process has been considered to create a new kit that flawlessly marries performance and style.
Garry Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Manchester City commented: “Manchester City FC is delighted to work with such a progressive and innovative brand and looks forward to further developing our partnership over the coming decade. This gig has been a great start. We are building a successful and sustainable football club for the future and our partners are integral to that. Umbro share our commitment to innovation, the city of Manchester and creating world-class experiences for its customers and our fans.”
Today, July 18th, the shirt goes on general sale. The Blues play their first match in the new kit against Orlando Pirates in South Africa at 2pm UK time and match will be shown for free on a big screen outside the stadium. There will also be a BBQ lunch, face painters, balloon modellers and the MCFC Big Band from 10:30 onwards. The brand new CityStore opens its doors for the first time at 9am.
The Manchester City FC away kit will be available from August.
The Manchester City FC third kit will be available from September. 
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Umbro and Manchester City Launch New Kit With a Little Help From Doves
Umbro and Manchester City announce free Doves gig to celebrate the new home kit