The Illinois Office of Tourism has signed a partnership with Crystal Palace, which sees Enjoy Illinois become the official destination partner of the English Premier League club.
Enjoy Illinois will be displayed on the LED boards at the club’s Selhurst Park stadium in London, as well as interview backdrops and in-stadia televisions. Enjoy Illinois will also sponsor the halftime challenge at Selhurst Park and will run competitions throughout the season where fans can win prizes.
The Eagles visited Chicago, Illinois, in 2023 during their pre-season tour and returned to the United States earlier this summer for the second successive year, playing in the Stateside Cup. Crystal Palace will also be returning to Illinois for the next Premier League Mornings Live, taking place in Chicago on 21-22 September 2024.
Barry Webber, chief commercial officer of Crystal Palace, said: “As a club, we are hugely appreciative of the support we receive from the US, and we’re delighted to announce this partnership with Enjoy Illinois after our warm welcome in Chicago during our 2023 pre-season tour.
“Crystal Palace has a strong connection to the US, both through our ownership, our strong fan base there and former USMNT star Chris Richards has become a firm favourite at Selhurst Park. We hope this partnership can continue to deepen our relationship between the club and our fans in Illinois.”
Daniel Thomas, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism, said: “We are thrilled to announce Enjoy Illinois’ new partnership as the official destination partner of Crystal Palace. We welcomed 2.16 million international visitors to Illinois in 2023, and the UK remains one of our top five markets.
“Illinois is also the number five sports market in the US and this collaboration provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best our state has to offer to a passionate global sporting audience looking for their next American adventure. As we gear up for the football season, we’re eager to welcome Crystal Palace fans to discover Illinois’ world class sports entertainment, our vibrant city of Chicago and diverse culture.”
See more at enjoyillinois.com