Ascott checks in with Chelsea FC fans beyond the pitch

Ascott is turning its football partnership into a loyalty-building experience for fans across Southeast Asia.

On 30 and 31 October, the hospitality group held the fifth edition of "The Famous CFC", Chelsea Football Club’s global fan engagement and community programme, in Kuala Lumpur.

It brought together more than 200 Chelsea supporters and Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) members for a two-day programme featuring meet-and-greet sessions, fan activities and a live watch party.

Headlined by former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the programme culminated in a screening of Chelsea’s Premier League match against Manchester United, which saw the Blues win 2-0. More than 180 fans and ASR members attended the watch party.

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The event forms part of Ascott’s partnership with Chelsea Football Club, under which the hospitality group serves as the club’s official hotels partner. Through "The Famous CFC", Ascott is using access to the football club and its personalities to create experiences that extend beyond conventional hotel rewards.

For ASR members, the programme offered opportunities to meet Hasselbaink, take part in a question-and-answer session and attend the watch party. The event also attracted regional participation, with one attendee travelling from Vietnam for the Kuala Lumpur edition after previously attending the programme in Hanoi.

Speaking on the partnership, Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer at Ascott, said the experience reflected how travellers increasingly value access and connection alongside their accommodation.

She added that the return of members from earlier editions demonstrated how such experiences could help build lasting connections and give travellers more reasons to choose Ascott.

“The kind of loyalty that tells us these experiences create truly lasting connections and compelling reasons to travel with Ascott,” she said. 

The strategy also supports the group's “Stay rewarded” promise, which seeks to extend its loyalty proposition beyond accommodation through access to sporting, lifestyle and entertainment experiences.

For Chelsea, the programme is also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with supporters beyond the UK. Alex Smith, director of partnerships at Chelsea Football Club, said The Famous CFC allows the club to bring its supporters closer through shared experiences with Ascott.

The Kuala Lumpur edition also tapped into Hasselbaink's existing connection with the city. The former striker revisited landmarks and recalled his time with Chelsea during the club's 2003 Premier League Asia Cup visit, giving the programme a nostalgic element for long-time supporters while introducing younger fans to the club's history.

“What really stayed with me this weekend was how many young fans came out. You can see that the Chelsea culture is not just alive in Malaysia, it is being passed down to the next generation, and it is an honour to be part of that,” he said. 

The event reflects a wider trend of brands turning football viewership into immersive experiences, as seen in Guinness Malaysia’s Premier League-themed clubhouse in Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, Manchester United partner Tiger Beer have also brought Malaysian fans all the way to Old Trafford, underscoring the value of football fandom as a platform for brand engagement in the country. 

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