Conti Scores Bayern Munich Deal

Continental is expanding its football sponsorship with a deal involving one of the world’s best-known teams. Together with majority shareholder the Schaeffler Group, the German tyre and automotive components manufacturer has become sponsoring partner of FC Bayern Munich. Recently the companies and the club signed an agreement that runs until 2015.

“We are delighted with the attractive possibility our role as exclusive tyre partner offers to link two premium brands, Continental and FC Bayern Munich. This adds a further component to our international football sponsoring strategy,” said Nikolai Setzer, member of Conti’s Executive Board and head of the Passenger and Light Truck Tires division. “Hooking up with Germany’s most successful football club and the one best known around the world boosts the image of the premium Continental brand as a tyre renowned nationally and internationally for its safety and braking performance.”

The new sponsoring partnership comes on the heels of the recently announced first-time premium sponsoring of DFB football cup competition in Germany and of Major League Soccer in the US. A deal with Bayern Munich should lift Continental’s profile considerably. “After achieving a further double victory and making it into the final match of the Champions League this past season, FC Bayern Munich now plays in televised Bundesliga (Germany’s national football league) action to a growing fan community in the millions in- and outside of Germany. This certainly includes viewers in growth markets we have targeted in Asia. The team’s numerous international appearances outside of regular competition further boost FC Bayern Munich‘s very high degree of visibility in connection with our premium Continental brand,” remarked Setzer. “FC Bayern Munich stands for a highly professional and impassioned approach off the playing field, too. These are attributes that perfectly match our products and our brands.”

Setzer points out that Continental is benefitting from the Schaeffler Group’s long-standing ties to FC Bayern Munich. The agreed upon sponsoring package encompasses, in particular, perimeter advertising for all Bundesliga home games, including exclusive ticket allotments for these as well as DFB cup and Champions League matches. Sponsoring of DFB cup competition also provides Continental with additional tickets for games involving FC Bayern Munich as reigning champion. Last but not least, in future footballers from the Munich team will be travelling on Continental tyres when out and about in the team‘s MAN bus and in service vehicles from Audi, another sponsoring partner.