SPORTS SPONSORSHIP GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY
It is really unusual to see 3 logos of different companies within 5 months in a professional football club. This happened in Gelsenkirchen, in the iconic club FC Schalke 04. MeinAuto.de will already be the third main sponsor of that club in 2022.
GAZPROM - A CHAPTER TO BE FORGOTTEN
The cooperation between FC Schalke 04 and the Russian company Gazprom lasted from 2006 to 2022. Only in two Bundesliga clubs the partnership between the club and the main sponsor was longer - Bayern Munich (T-mobile) and VFL Wolfsburg (Volkswagen).
In the spring of 2021, when it was already known that Schalke would not be able to stay in the Bundesliga for the season 2021/2022 cooperation with Gazprom was extended until 2025, providing Schalke with the largest jersey sponsorship revenue in the entire 2nd Bundesliga. Under this deal, Schalke was to receive EUR 10 million for each season in the 2nd Bundesliga and EUR 20 million for each season in the 1st Bundesliga.
The catalyst for the premature termination of cooperation was the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. FC Schalke 04 has decided to completely cut off from the Russian state-owned company and the world's largest producer of natural gas. Despite being in a very difficult financial situation, the club decided to take such a noble step and look for new business partners.
FC Schalke 04 was one of the most recognizable clubs affected by the war in Ukraine in the context of sports sponsorship. The jerseys with the logo of the Russian concern have accompanied the club during many successful times, such as the victory of DFB Pokal 2011, Superpokal 2011, the German vice-championship in 2018, and many UEFA Champions League matches. However, in the context of these events, the club gave up its sentiments and made a very firm and noble decision.
VIVAWEST AND THE SECOND DIVISION. "UNTER NACHBARN HILFT MAN SICH".
After the end of the controversial cooperation with the Russian company, Schalke decided to reevaluate its sponsoring priorities and decided to cooperate with a company from their region of NRW - Vivawest.
Vivawest GmbH is a company from Gelsenkirchen that provides real estate services. The Company develops, sells, leases, and manages residential and commercial properties in Germany.
Vivawest focused on genuine and traditional values in relations with Schalke fans, publishing a post on the LinkedIn platform immediately after announcing the cooperation with the slogan "Unter Nachbarn hilft man sich!" (eng. "Neighbors help each other!"), taking on the image of a local neighborhood company that identifies with the club and is willing to help out in hard times.
Vivawest was only able to cooperate on a second-tier basis. In the event of FC Schalke 04's promotion to the first Bundesliga, it was agreed that the cooperation would end and the club from Gelsenkirchen would look for a company that would be able to provide the club with more significant financial resources.
Via their social media accounts, Vivawest wrote: "We are now handing the baton to the new main sponsor. We wish MeinAuto.de and # Knappen a great and successful 22/23 season and will continue to support # S04."
THE PARTNERSHIP OF FC SCHALKE 04 WITH MEINAUTO.DE
"We are proud to be officially playing in the premier league with Schalke from now on" - Rudolf Rizzolli, CEO of MeinAuto Group AG
"Thanks to MeinAuto.de we found a strong partner for the Bundesliga challenge. MeinAuto.de has set itself the goal of revolutionizing the process of purchasing a new car for customers, simplifying it and optimizing it. We are pleased to be able to support the company with our reach." - dr hab. Bernd Schröder, CEO of FC Schalke 04.
The contract was signed for three years. The exact amount of the annual support is not known but it is estimated to be more than 4.5 million euro and less than 10 million euro.
What to know more about the new main sponsor FC Schalke 04?
ABOUT THE COMPANY
In today's post-pandemic times, the e-commerce market records record revenues. Online with delivery to the door, we can order almost everything, including a new car. Buying a new car or concluding a leasing or financing agreement at a dealership can be tedious, time-consuming and annoying. The company therefore proposes a different solution - ordering a car online.
MeinAuto.de is Germany's most popular online store for new cars. What started as a small start-up in Cologne took the German e-commerce market by storm since 2007.
"MeinAuto.de is the most used new car portal in Germany, with over 129,000 satisfied customers since 2007. With us you can find your dream vehicle from over 45 brands and many models."
At MeinAuto.de, you can buy, lease or finance your new car from the comfort of your own home - without numerous visits to the car dealership, with a direct model comparison and without tedious price negotiations. All new cars come from German dealers with whom the new sponsor FC Schalke 04 has been working for years.
MeinAuto.de offers various payment methods when buying a new car and a large selection of makes and models. In addition, the company advises free of charge on all aspects of the new car. The company's offer also includes other services, such as insurance or door-to-door delivery.
Overall, the company offers the same conditions as a local car dealer, but with a simplified buying process, a much wider selection of brands and models, and always at the best price.
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