Borussia Dortmund and Evonik: An international success story

• Successful brand partnership for ten years as main sponsor
• Long-term association up until 2025
• BVB Evonik soccer school will be held for the first time in China

Borussia Dortmund and Evonik Industries are now bringing their international success story to China. There, BVB will play the International Champions Cup in Shanghai and Shenzhen against Manchester United and Manchester City. The management of Borussia Dortmund has specifically chosen China as the first big stage for the team of the 2016-17 season. After all, Asia is at the core of this major international club's growth strategy. After a year's break, Dortmund will once again take part in the UEFA Champions League.

Just last year, the BVB summer tour took place in Singapore and Malaysia and it was obvious just how well known the Borussia Dortmund brand and its stars such as Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are in Asia. And another factor was plain to see: The enthusiasm of the local fans when BVB comes to town and takes to the pitch.

These very emotions are one of the main reasons for Evonik's commitment to BVB. “We are a perfect match: Thanks to the emotions involved with supporting BVB, Evonik can touch people who would otherwise be out of reach for a specialty chemicals corporation. And Borussia Dortmund benefits from the creativity with which we support the club worldwide,” says Klaus Engel, chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries. “As a globally active specialty chemicals corporation, our involvement with BVB helps Evonik to promote its own brand on a global scale. This enables us to reach important target groups such as customers, skilled professionals or capital investors in many countries through our BVB connection. And that's why we’re supporting the Borussia Dortmund tour to China this summer.”

First BVB Evonik soccer school activity in China

Chinese soccer is expected to edge its way into the world leading teams by 2050. According to the pragmatic Government Development Plan for Chinese Soccer, soccer’s development will be accelerated in schools. The number of schools with a specialty in soccer will reach 20,000 by 2020.

Borussia Dortmund and Evonik has paid attention to the youth soccer training for a long time. In 2011, the BVB Evonik soccer school was opened to offer soccer enthusiasts a professional training.

On the occasion of the International Champions Cup China, the BVB Evonik soccer school will be held for the first time in China. Both Borussia Dortmund and Evonik hope the Soccer School activity can contribute to the successful development of Chinese soccer.

At this football school - under the guidance of expert German football coaches - Chinese kids and youngsters will learn according to the most modern training methods. They will learn the theory and practice of the sport, but above all they will enjoy the game and the camaraderie of the group. Children of Evonik employees will take part as will children from six local schools as part of a summer camp.

Strong brand coupling

The connection between BVB and Evonik Industries goes back to the year 2006. At that time, Borussia Dortmund was in the middle of an economic and sporting restructuring phase. The Evonik management concluded its first sponsoring contract with BVB to help establish our new company brand. The initial goals were focused on increasing the brand awareness for the new company at a national level in Germany. Since then, this sponsoring venture has developed into a long-term and very successful partnership.

Engel: “With our long-term cooperation, both partners have laid a solid foundation for new business and sporting successes on the international stage. As a result of its cooperation with Evonik, Borussia has secured a solid basis for peak sporting performance in national and international competitions for many years to come.” Since 2014, Evonik has also had a stake in Borussia Dortmund KGaA. The sponsoring contract runs until 2025.