Manchester City are celebrating City in the Community this weekend for the Brighton game and are rebranding the stadium as part of their plan.
Comments
Sport
Manchester City's Etihad Stadium
Manchester City's Etihad Stadium(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Manchester City are renaming the Etihad Stadium to mark the club's annual charity weekend. City in the Community (CITC) is being celebrated at the Brighton game in recognition of the work done all year round to keep the club looking after its local residents.
Visitors to the newly-branded 'City in the Community Etihad Stadium' from trams and buses will hear first-team star Ruben Dias welcome them in. The defender met youngsters from Chorlton High School earlier this week and surprised one lucky student with tickets to the game.
The squad will warm up in branded tops before donating them, and the game will also see the return of the players depicted by local primary school children.
As well as giving special matchday experiences to CITC participants on the day against Brighton, there has also been a relaunch of the charity's website and monthly prize draw. A new auction includes mascot spaces for a Manchester derby.
CEO of CITC, Michael Geary, said: "We are delighted that Manchester City is once again showcasing its support for its charity on such a huge scale.
"We are extremely passionate about engaging our fans and all the activities they'll see on Saturday have been designed to help raise levels of visibility and awareness of City in the Community.
"As well as the exciting participant experiences, we are pleased to have also donated free matchday tickets to local schoolchildren, who otherwise might not be able to experience an Etihad matchday.
“Special thanks must also go to all partners and suppliers who have helped to make today’s match as impactful as possible. I hope that fans can join us and the club in celebrating our work to empower healthier lives through football."