VFB Stuttgart, the top-tier German soccer club, is set to expand its partner pool to include German luxury carmaker Porsche and its subsidiary MHP, a management and IT consultancy firm.
Stuttgart and Porsche have tentatively agreed on a sponsorship deal that will see MHP take over the club's stadium naming rights from Mercedes-Benz for an initial 10-year period.
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Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, will remain a sponsor of the club as an anchor investor, exclusive partner, and mobility partner.
Under the planned agreement, Porsche will also become a partner of Stuttgart’s youth department under the title of Turbo for Talents, while MHP will become a team fair play partner in the areas of corporate social responsibility, esports, women’s and girls’ football, athletics, and the academy.
Claus Vogt, Stuttgart president and supervisory board chairman, said: “Today is a great day for our VfB. The planned cooperation between Porsche, MHP, and Mercedes-Benz promises to strengthen both the club and the company in the long term.
“The commitment of these global corporations to VfB makes us proud. We are grateful for this comprehensive support and will do everything in our power to ensure that all sides benefit from this unique partnership.”
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By GlobalDataStuttgart chief executive Alexander Wehrle added: “Top employers and global brands Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and MHP together at VfB – it doesn’t get better than that. With this, we want to put together the largest package in the history of VfB Stuttgart, the total volume of which could exceed €100 million.
“Porsche and MHP are fascinating, successful companies with close ties to our region. They expand our room for maneuver, although it’s clear to all parties involved that the priority for VfB is financial stabilization after the threatening Covid period as well as investments in strategic fields.”
Britta Seeger, member of the board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG responsible for sales, said: “Mercedes-Benz will remain an integral part of the VfB family in the future.
“As a long-time main sponsor and good neighbor, it’s important to us that VfB remains on a solid financial footing in the future with new sponsors from the region. We’re therefore pleased about the future cooperation with new partners MHP and Porsche.”
Lutz Meschke, deputy chairman of the board and member of the board for finance and IT at Porsche added: “VfB Stuttgart is the biggest club at our company’s headquarters. We are united by a great tradition and both have deep roots in the region.
“Together with MHP, we want to play our part in making VfB’s future as successful as possible. With the comprehensive sponsorship partnership between Porsche Group and VfB presented today, we want to make a long-term commitment. It’s important to us that we do this in close cooperation with our colleagues from Mercedes.”
Ralf Hofmann, founder, shareholder, and chairman of the board of MHP said: “With our planned commitment, we are once again looking to take on social responsibility in our home region. At the same time, renaming the stadium the MHPArena would certainly be a national beacon for our company, further emotionalizing our brand and supporting our growth course.”
Mercedes-Benz Bank will now become VfB’s business partner, while ending their involvement as VfB’s main and shirt sponsor and Mercedes-EQ’s involvement as VfB’s sleeve partner.
As a result, VfB can now market these rights from the 2023-24 season onwards.
Rouven Kasper, VfB Stuttgart board member for marketing and sales said: “We thank Mercedes-Benz Bank for the long-standing, close partnership and look forward to further cooperation.
“With the new strong alliance behind us, we are confident that the marketing of our top rights on the front of our shirt as well as the sleeve will pick up speed in the coming days and that more big brands will be interested in becoming part of the history and future of our VfB.”
