Clean Express ties Steelers deal to win-driven free wash promo

Express Wash Concepts (EWC) has signed its Clean Express Auto Wash brand on as a Proud Partner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, pairing team branding with a promotion that rewards fans when the team wins at home. The deal was announced by the operator, according to reporting from Auto Laundry News.

The partnership centers on a campaign called Victory Drive presented by Clean Express Auto Wash, which runs throughout the 2026 regular season and turns each Steelers home victory into a customer acquisition event for the chain.

How the Victory Drive promotion works

On each home game day, fans can visit a Victory Drive landing page and register for the promotion. If the Steelers win that game, registered fans receive an offer for a free signature Clean-est Ultra wash, valued at $28, redeemable the following day at any Clean Express location. The offer is also tied to Wash Smart Unlimited Club savings, giving the brand a direct path to convert one-time visitors into subscription members.

The campaign includes a charitable component. For every new membership generated through Victory Drive, Clean Express will donate $10 to United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Steelers will match the annual contribution up to $5,000, with proceeds directed toward youth-focused efforts in the region.

John Roush, founder and CEO of Express Wash Concepts, said Pittsburgh has become an important market for the Clean Express brand and framed the deal as a fit around shared community commitments. Ryan Huzjak, senior vice president of business operations for the Steelers, said the promotion gives fans a new way to celebrate wins.

The partnership also carries a local history angle. Jim Baker, who owns the property where the Clean Express Pleasant Hills location operates, is the fan who recovered the game ball from Franco Harris' "Immaculate Reception" during the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff game. Baker said he has been proud to have the company as a tenant and to see it invest in the Pittsburgh area.

Why it matters for operators

This deal is a case study in linking a marketing spend to measurable outcomes rather than pure brand awareness. Instead of a static logo placement, Clean Express built a mechanism that only activates on a home win, then funnels the free wash offer directly into its unlimited membership program. The free wash is the hook, but the real goal is subscription conversion, which is where recurring revenue lives.

The structure offers several lessons for operators considering local sports or event tie-ins. First, the registration step captures fan contact information and builds a marketing list regardless of game outcomes. Second, the next-day redemption window drives a predictable traffic bump operators can staff and stock around. Third, the charitable match creates a community story that costs the wash a fixed, capped amount while extending goodwill through the team's own contribution.

Operators do not need a professional sports franchise to replicate the concept. The same win-triggered or event-triggered offer can be built around a local college team, a high school program, or a community milestone, provided the offer requires registration and routes redeemers toward a membership plan. Tying the giveaway to a capped charitable donation also keeps the marketing budget predictable while generating positive local coverage.