Alexander Wehrle, Managing Director of 1. FC Köln, said: “We made the decision about our future marketing partner following a detailed market analysis. Amongst several offers, Infront clearly presented the best overall package – providing extensive planning reliability for future marketing revenues and putting us in a stronger position than would have been possible through a potential in-house marketing. In addition, Infront’s many years of experience and extensive network in domestic and international football was highly convincing. Furthermore, the company shares the same respectable and ambitious philosophy as 1. FC Köln. We are looking forward to a close and successful partnership.”
By working with 1. FC Köln, Infront is further extending its broad football portfolio. The company holds many years of international and national experience in football commercialisation and amongst others is a partner of FIFA and the Italian Serie A. In German football, Infront markets a total of twelve clubs, the DFB Cup and the DFB national team matches.
One of the strongest German club brands
Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront Sports & Media, said: “The new partnership with 1. FC Köln is one of Infront Group’s biggest club mandates and a milestone in the expansion of our high-value international football rights portfolio. In the German market, over the past eight years we have tripled the number of clubs marketed by Infront and therefore offer our sponsors many appealing options in a highly emotional environment.”
Reinhardt Weinberger, Managing Director of Infront Germany, added: “We thank the club officials for the confidence in the Infront Group and as a result the long-term mandate. 1. FC Köln is a real crowd puller and an established club brand even beyond national borders. Through this co-operative partnership we want to further strengthen the tradition-rich brand and create the right economic conditions for a long-term stay in the 1. Bundesliga.”
Infront is officially on board as of 1 July 2014. To ensure a close co-operation with the club, Infront will soon be represented with a team in Cologne.
About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media is the most respected sports marketing company in the world, managing a comprehensive portfolio of top properties. Led by President & CEO Philippe Blatter, Infront covers all aspects of successful sporting events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operation – and has won a reputation for its high standards of delivery. As the number one player in winter sport and with a leading role in football and summer sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 130 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, Infront has a team of 500 experienced staff working from 20 offices across 10 countries, delivering 3,400 event days of top class sport around the world every year.
For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
www.infrontsports.com
Tobias Kaufmann
1. FC Köln
+49-221-7 16 16 470
+49-221-7 16 16 338
www.fc-koeln.de