Heineken Champions League viewing party moves to Marriott beach front
Football on the beach!!!
The Independence weekend in Guyana will be filled with great festivities; and on Saturday, May 26, the attention will turn to the final of the UEFA Champions League final between two powerhouses: defending champions Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The viewing party is usually filled to capacity (Yura Stephen photograph)
While the blockbuster match takes place in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, from 14:45h, the Marriott Beach at the Kingston seawall will be transformed into a festival for the 6th Heineken/UEFA Champions League Viewing Party.
This was disclosed to Guyana Times Sport on Saturday by Heineken’s Brand Manager Darshanie Yussuf.
According to Yussuf, the move to the beach front comes as the ANSA McAL Group looks to be innovative in treating its large fan base.
“Our Heineken consumers have very high expectations of us, so every year we ensure that we exceed their expectations. Hence we decided, ‘Why not go outside of the box?’ and Marriott beach front seemed like the ideal location”, the Heineken head explained.
She added, “Needless to say, we have outgrown any indoor venue, hence (we are) looking outside the box”.
It is no secret Champions League Football is a growing phenomenon in Guyana. It has a vastly growing fan base, which has been a heartening fact for Yussuf.
“Five years ago, when we started the campaign promoting the Heineken UEFA Champions League, there was just a handful of people, enthusiast really, who were interested. I am happy to say that this, our 6th year, has seen a following where persons have been requesting tickets (invitation only) since 6 months ago”.
Outlining the continuous growth of the party, which moved from Georgetown Cricket Club stands to the Gravity Longue, to 704 Sports Bar and then the Giftland Mall Entertainment Strip, Yussuf explained that this year’s intention is not about attracting a large audience, but rather ensure those who come enjoy the experience to the fullest.
“We had over 3500 persons at Giftland in 2017. This year we would like to go a little smaller, as we want to ensure that everyone who attends enjoy the Heineken experience,” she said.
Yussuf further revealed that while the mood of the city will be filled with Soca, due the presence of many top Caribbean artistes, the ANSA Group has decided to add a different flavour and bring Jamaica’s reggae sensation Tanya Stevens to perform at the after-party.
Tickets are only given at promotions at supermarkets at bars. Those locations include Palm Court, Giftland Entertainment Strip, Pizza Hut (Sheriff Street), Barbacoa, Seepaul’s Bar, Seeta’s, along with all Bounty, DSL and Real Value supermarkets. (Akeem Greene)
