Pele will be one of the Emirates ambassadors at the FIFA World Cup 2014. The partnership was announced at a press conference held in Dubai.
Over the years, more and more airlines have concluded various partnerships with athletes or former performance athletes. In 2012, Turkish Airlines has a partnership with Leo Messi. The star of the FC Barcelona football team has joined the other two ambassadors in the sports world: Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant (ambassador in 2011) and professional tennis player Caroline Wozniacki (ambassador in 2010).
And Emirates has also worked with a leading figure in the sports world, in 2006, ending a partnership with Franz Beckenbauer for the FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Such partnerships with important sports people, such as the current one between Pele and Emirates, make people resonate differently with each other and with the aviation industry. Pele is a football star on a global level, he is a loved one, respected and appreciated by many. Pele is a global symbol. From such a partnership, the airline wins because it has managed to attract a loved one on its side, but also Pele because it associates its image with one of the largest airlines worldwide.
Based on this partnership, we will probably see many joint actions organized by Pele and Emirates. The airline hopes to carry more than 18 passengers during the 000 World Cup to and from Brazil. Currently, Emirates flies daily to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, but also to Buenos Aires, these being the only destinations operated in Latin America.
Indirectly, Emirates airline has been linked to Pele since 2013, when it decided to sponsor the Cosmos football team in New York, where Pele is honorary president.
At the same time, Emirates has signed a 5 year partnership with Formula One World and sponsors the football teams: Real Madrid in Spain; Arsenal Football Club in the Premier League, England; Paris Saint Germain in the 1 League, France and AC Milan in Serie A, Italy.