After 18 years appearing on the kits of DFB referee, DEKRA is going to be replaced by phone directory provider Das Örtliche.
DAS ÖRTLICHE TO BECOME SHIRT SPONSOR FOR DFB REFEREE
The deal between Das Örtliche and DFB will commence on July 1st 2021. It runs for three years with Das Örtliche's logo to be displayed on the sleeves of DFB referees' jersey as well as on training and warm-up clothing.
Das Örtliche is to appear on the Bundesliga, 2nd Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, DFB-Pokalfinale der Frauen and the FLYERALARM Frauen-Bundesliga. It will also participate in DFB's campaign to promote refereeing and the "Referee of the Year" award.
Dr. Holger Blask, Managing Director Marketing & Sales of DFB GmbH: "We are very pleased to have found a new and innovative partner for refereeing at the DFB in Das Örtliche. Our elite referees lead over 800 games per year and stand for neutrality, precision and reliability."
"I am convinced that with Das Örtliche, which is also appreciated by consumers and businesses for its quality and reliability, we will develop and implement a strong and successful partnership in terms of content, from which both partners will benefit."
Meanwhile, Dirk Schulte, Managing Director of Service and Marketing for Das Örtliche said: "We are very much looking forward to this partnership. Our brand shares many values with the referees [...] Like the referees are partners and enablers of the sport, Das Örtliche's maintains the connections between users and advertisers and brings them together.
Of course, sponsoring offers us the opportunity to promote our brand even further to many football fans in Germany. But we also consider this a genuine commitment to the referees and want to support them as partners at all levels."
DFB BIDS FAREWELL TO DEKRA
As a way to say thank you after 18 years of cooperation, the jerseys of the referees in the semi-finals and final of the men's DFB-Pokal as well as in the final of the women's DFB-Pokal will feature the inscription "DANKE! DEKRA" (Thank you! DEKRA) on their backs.
DFB Vice President Ronny Zimmermann commented: "Since 2003, DEKRA has been committed to fair play and referees in football and supported, among other things, our efforts to ensure greater acceptance and respect in dealing with our referees in Germany with successful campaigns,"
"From next season, we will open an exciting new chapter for our referees with a new partner. Now it's time to say, 'Thank you! DEKRA'. And we are pleased to convey this message prominently with our referees in the DFB-Pokal."
What do you think of this new partnership for DFB? Tell us in the comment.