Paddy Power Revives Manchester City Billboard Stunt With ‘Welcome To Shamchester’ Campaign

Paddy Power has taken aim at Manchester City with a new “Welcome to Shamchester” billboard in Manchester, reviving one of the club’s most memorable pieces of advertising against local rivals Manchester United.

The bookmaker unveiled the campaign following reports that City had been found guilty of the majority of the charges brought against the club by the Premier League relating to alleged breaches of its financial rules.

Paddy Power’s latest publicity stunt references the “Welcome to Manchester” billboard erected after Carlos Tevez moved from Manchester United to City in 2009.

The original campaign featured Tevez against a sky-blue background and became an enduring image of the changing balance of power between the two Manchester clubs.

Now Paddy Power has recreated the concept with its own message as attention turns to the potential consequences of the Premier League case.

Paddy Power Turns Tevez Stunt Back On City

The campaign follows reports that Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges considered as part of the long-running proceedings.

City has consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the case and has indicated its intention to challenge the verdict. Any sanction arising from the findings has yet to be determined.

Against that backdrop, Paddy Power erected its “Welcome to Shamchester” billboard as a direct parody of City's 2009 campaign.

The bookmaker said it had “turned the tables on the noisy neighbours”, using the billboard to capitalise on the attention surrounding the case and uncertainty over what punishment could follow.

The campaign also continues Paddy Power’s long-established marketing approach of using major sporting stories and rivalries as the basis for topical publicity stunts.

Campaign Follows Premier League Refund Promotion

The billboard comes after Paddy Power announced a separate promotion connected to the reported Manchester City verdict.

The bookmaker said it would refund qualifying outright Premier League bets placed on Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in seasons when those clubs finished runners-up to City.

Those refunds cover Manchester United in 2011/12, 2017/18 and 2020/21; Liverpool in 2013/14, 2018/19 and 2021/22; and Arsenal in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Qualifying customers are being refunded through free bets, subject to the promotion’s terms and a maximum refund of £1,000.

Despite Paddy Power using the prospect of City’s previous achievements being affected as part of its marketing campaign, no Premier League titles have been stripped or reassigned.

The consequences of the reported verdict remain subject to the disciplinary process, meaning the official historical records of Manchester City’s Premier League successes remain unchanged at present.