Roger Hampel
FOT: DFB FRAUEN
As we approach the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in a few weeks, the German Football Association (DFB) has announced a significant new partnership. In an era where tech companies are heavily investing in sports, Google has emerged as the latest supporter of women's football in Germany.
The partnership between the internet giant Google and the DFB was unveiled at a joint event at the Google headquarters in Berlin. Amidst an audience of about 50 guests and journalists, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, the national coach, and Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, announced their collaboration beginning on July 20th, set to span across three years. Financial details of the deal, however, remain undisclosed by both Google and the DFB.
Lena Cassel, the event's host, opened the gathering held in the courtyard of Google's Berlin complex. Google CEO Pichai, a self-proclaimed football fan since childhood, then took the stage amidst applause. "I can't think of any other sport that connects people around the world like football," said Pichai, revealing himself as a huge fan of the German World Cup team of 1990.
As part of the partnership, the players will be equipped with Google smartphones to offer a glimpse into their everyday life. National players Laura Freigang, Lina Magull, and Felicitas Rauch are set to kickstart this initiative.
"I am very excited about what will come out of this cooperation in the next three years," declared National goalkeeper Almuth Schult, who is currently on maternity leave.
Holger Blask, Managing Director of Marketing at the DFB, also expressed his enthusiasm about the long-term partnership. "We have the ambition for our national team and club teams to compete for titles. We want to bring more girls and women to the football field by 2027 and of course, gain more visibility. Google will bring a lot of attention," said Blask.
Voss-Tecklenburg also echoed these sentiments, "We have managed to go a very sustainable way after the EM 2022, have achieved many things, and have received the attention we had deserved for a long time. That Google is now our partner is an honor and will help us generate even more attention for women's football."
For the DFB, sponsorship is a crucial source of income. According to the most recent figures in the DFB financial report, "Sponsorship and other marketing" brought in approximately €178 million in 2021. After deducting expenses, the net amount was still a substantial €107 million. This new partnership is set to further boost these numbers and elevate the prominence of the Women's National Team, which also boasts sponsorship from household appliance manufacturer Vorwerk.
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