May 24 – Borussia Dortmund has signed a one-year sponsorship deal with Lebara Mobile, a leading provider of mobile phone service to destinations outside Germany, in a deal put together by marketing agency Sportfive.
Lebara is targeting Dortmund fans who have family outside the country. Up to 60% of BVB’s fans originally come from outside Germany. And of the 1.08 million migrants who moved to Germany in 2012, about 186,000 moved into the Dortmund catchment area. Many of the club’s key players are from similar ethnic backgrounds to Lebara’s customer communities.
Scott Rankin, Managing Director at Lebara Mobile Germany, said that with the agreement, which is the company’s first foray into sponsorship,”Lebara is on the way into the Champions League of big brands.” Lebara added that the sponsorship will strengthen its foothold in the city of Dortmund as well as reach new customers in the Polish, Croatian and Turkish markets.
Although exact details of the sponsorship have not yet been confirmed and no figure has been put on the value of the deal, the company may launch an exclusively packaged Lebara Mobile ‘BVB 09 SIM card’. The sponsorship will include advertising in the stadium and club magazine as well as promotions with players.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, Dortmund’s General Manager, said the two partners would make a strong team: “Borussia Dortmund is a unique club with many fans from outside Germany. Lebara, with its international portfolio is an excellent fit for us.”
Guido Wirtz, Head of Marketing for Lebara Mobile said that the deal would “strengthen the place of Lebara Mobile in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most multi-national German State.”
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