From autofill to Empire State: How one QuickBooks customer bagged a West Ham United VIP trip to the US

As part of our partnership with West Ham United, where Intuit QuickBooks proudly serves as the official sleeve partner, we're thrilled to offer exclusive opportunities to our community.

For the second year in a row, one luckyQuickBooks customer won the trip of a lifetime to watch West Ham United play in the US. This competition, sponsored by West Ham United, is a benefit of being part of the QuickBooks community. It’s just one of the ways we've celebrated our partnership with West Ham United, and there will be more to come.

Sam Carter never expected a Wednesday work email to spark and adventure. The director and accountant from the busy Ashdown Hurrey practice in East Sussex, glanced at his inbox between tasks and saw an invitation to enter a West Ham United competition.

"I don't usually enter anything like this," Sam admits. "Particularly with work emails - it just popped up at the right time." Chrome auto-filled his details and one click later, he had entered a competition to see West Ham play Manchester United in New Jersey.

Accountants are usually creatures of habit," Sam explains. "We usually go to places we know. New York was not somewhere on our list to go."

The call that changed everything

Friday afternoon at 5pm brought a phone call from QuickBooks. Sam was expecting it to be a promotional call and came close to asking the secretary to take the details so he could follow up the next week.  

Luckily, as fate would have it, Sam took it and was asked to join a Zoom meeting. A bit hesitant, he logged on and was told news that left him speechless. "You've won the tickets to New York to watch West Ham United play Manchester United."

Sam's response? "My wife just sent me a message to say she's taking me out for a Thai meal tonight." Now, Sam laughs about his reply. "I was told that you guys are sending us to New York, and I am talking about going out for a Thai meal." Needless to say, Sam wasn’t really sure what to say at that moment. 

The personal touch

Most competition prizes come with rigid itineraries but West Ham took a different approach. Sam was contacted on Monday morning with questions he didn’t expect:

"Where would you like to stay? Where would you like to fly from? What times would you like to go?"

Each conversation surprised Sam even more. West Ham offered Manhattan hotels instead of New Jersey, where the game was being played. They provided flexible flight times and made sure they offered choices at every step.

It was only when Sam and his wife boarded the plane at Heathrow that he truly believed he wasn't being pranked.  "At every point in the process, this seemed like a prank," Sam remembers. "It was too good to be true." It was only when they were on the plane that Sam was sure it was genuine (unless British Airways were part of it). Once they landed, a suited driver met them at arrivals with a West Ham sign. The luxury car service included New York history lessons during the transfer.

New York through fresh eyes

Sam and his wife tackled New York with accountant-level planning, and their systematic approach paid off during their four-day visit. That first evening brought dinner and a stroll across Brooklyn Bridge,  followed by a meal at a local restaurant to end the day.

Thursday morning began with a moving visit to the 9/11 Memorial before heading to Rockefeller Center, where Sam faced his ultimate test: sitting on a beam that extends from the building and spins in the air, recreating the iconic ‘Lunch Atop a Skyscraper’1932 photo. Rising 12-feet above top of the Rockefeller Center’s 69th-floor observation deck, this was nerve-wrecking for someone who openly admits: “I hate heights. I’m terrified to do this stuff. So why not go up a skyscraper, right?”

Next was a visit to Ellen’s Stardust Diner, where singing waiters burst into Broadway songs between taking orders. “They’d serve you one minute and then break out into a Broadway song the next. That was fantastic,” Sam says. The night ended with the razzle-dazzle of Moulin Rouge on Broadway.

They also ticked off the Empire State Building and one of the trip’s highlights: a three-hour Hudson River cruise, offering sweeping views of Manhattan. Saturday morning was spent in Central Park before exploring shops along Fifth Avenue. With temperatures hitting 28–32°C each day, air-conditioned shops offered welcome relief between sightseeing sessions.

Meeting football royalty

Friday evening brought dinner with West Ham legend and ambassador Anton Ferdinand. Sam expected a formal corporate event with dozens of attendees. Instead, he found an intimate restaurant setting with just five people.

"I thought it'd be an after-dinner event with 40 people and them speaking," Sam says. Instead, Anton shared stories about his career and he even left Sam’s West Ham-supporting former boss a personal message.

Saturday brought the main event: West Ham versus Manchester United at the MetLife Stadium. With VIP lounge access, West Ham staff took it one step further, offering pitch-side access accreditation. 

The final surprise topped everything. Anton mentioned to the West Ham team that Sam was a Manchester United supporter.  With Rio Ferdinand at the stadium, they promised to arrange a meeting. "After everything they had done for us, it was unbelievable that they were trying to pull out all the stops," he marvels.

Rio appeared 20 minutes later. He immediately jokingly asked about Sam’s Manchester United loyalty at a West Ham event. "It's a long story," Sam replied jokingly.

The game delivered an entertaining match, with Manchester United bagging a 2–1 win. Sam made sure to record everything on his phone. "Nobody's going to believe me if I tell them what happened."

Lasting Impact

It’s safe to say that Sam now supports two football teams. His loyalty to Manchester United remains strong, but his appreciation for West Ham grows every day. He now follows West Ham transfer news and takes a keen interest in upcoming fixtures.

Back home, Sam tells his story repeatedly without getting tired, and the accountant who never entered competitions now encourages everyone to participate. Every colleague now pays attention to QuickBooks competitions. "Every one of them will be entering competitions in the future," he predicts.

Four days packed with experiences created memories worth a lifetime – and that one Wednesday email truly changed everything.

Disclaimer

This content is for information purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting or tax advice, or a substitute for obtaining professional advice specific to your business. Additional information and exceptions may apply. Applicable laws may vary by region, state or locality. No assurance is given that the information is comprehensive in its coverage or that it is suitable in dealing with a customer’s particular situation. Intuit does not have any responsibility for updating or revising any information presented herein. Accordingly, the information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research. Intuit does not warrant that the material contained herein will continue to be accurate nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers should verify statements before relying on them.

We may occasionally provide third-party links as a convenience and for informational purposes only. Intuit does not endorse or approve the views or opinions of any corporation or organisation or individual herein. Intuit accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, or legality, of third-party content.