24/11/09 Infront Signs Agency Contract with Bundesliga's SC Freiburg until 2016

Infront Sports & Media and SC Freiburg have announced a new long-term partnership between the Infront Group’s subsidiary, Infront Germany, and the German Bundesliga club up to the season 2015/2016.

Infront Germany and SC Freiburg break new ground with this comprehensive partnership agreement, which includes the club’s major commercial rights from the 2010/2011 season onwards. Infront becomes the club’s exclusive agency and will strengthen the SC Freiburg sales force, led by Hanno Franke, Head of Marketing, without actually buying out the club’s commercial rights. Such is the scope of the contract that Infront will open an office in Freiburg.

SC Freiburg, the southernmost of the 18 Bundesliga clubs, is based in the Breisgau district of Baden-Württemberg and can trace its origins back to 1904. The club is best known for its strong focus on young player development. SC Freiburg made its first breakthrough to the Bundesliga in the 1993/1994 season. The club's greatest success was reaching the UEFA Cup in 1995 and 2001. After four seasons in the 2. Bundesliga, SC Freiburg managed to secure promotion into the Bundesliga once again in May 2009.

In the last four years, its U-19 team has won both the DFB-Cup and the German Championship twice. The number of young players who make it into the professional team is one of the highest in the Bundesliga. The club’s home ground, the Badenova Stadium, holds 24,000 spectators. It was the first German stadium investing in its own solar power station to produce clean, sustainable energy.

Collaboration with an experienced agency makes sense
Fritz Keller, Member of SC Freiburg’s Board of Directors, comments the cooperation: “Infront is a household name in football marketing and the company can offer international experience and contacts as well as a strong operation in Germany.

"As SC Freiburg is economically sound, we can decide on our next steps in a considered manner. It made sense for us to get a strategic partner on board and to share the responsibility for marketing. The contract was initiated under the presidency of Achim Stockers and it will help us to remain competitive on the marketing side.”

Günter Netzer, Member of the Infront Board of Directors, explains: “SC Freiburg is a very special club in German football, which has been dedicated in its sustainable approach and with particularly strong management. This is an exciting new project for our team in Germany, where we are making great strides in the football club business.”

Reinhardt Weinberger, Managing Director of Infront Germany, added: “Our club business in Germany has grown significantly during the past years. The agreement with SC Freiburg is once again proof positive that Infront is a sought-after partner in football, providing first class, tailor-made solutions for its clients. Together we will further raise the level of Freiburg’s commercial value.”

Hanno Franke, Head of Marketing & Sales of the SC Freiburg, said: “The clubs brand philosophy stands in the focus in the joint marketing with Infront. The partnership is built on joint participation and transparency - the spirit of our agreement. That’s exactly what pleased us most during the negotiations.”

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