Infront Sports & Media signs leading outdoor brand starting in 2009/2010

Zug, Switzerland / Idstein im Taunus, Germany, 2 March 2009 – Today Infront Sports & Media has announced the first of four new TOP partners for the DFB Cup. Jack Wolfskin, the leading supplier of functional outdoor clothing, shoes and equipment in Europe, has become the first company to sponsor Germany’s prestigious DFB Cup (DFB Pokal) in the new TOP Partner category, commencing with the 2009/2010 season.

This follows rapidly after Infront’s appointment in November 2008 to handle the marketing rights to the competition. Jack Wolfskin made its decision within days of the presentation made by Infront, reflecting the powerful appeal of an innovative sponsorship package – a first of its kind in German football – and the strong position of the DFB Cup among European club competitions.

Only four TOP partners from 2009/2010 season
The new sponsorship concept recently launched by Infront and the German Football Association (DFB) offers a wide array of rights and benefits on a much greater degree of focus on a much smaller number of commercial partners. The new marketing hierarchy for the DFB Cup consists of only two partner categories (TOP and SPOT), increasing the share of impact for each package. This is further strengthened by the new television agreement, which features all 63 matches of the DFB Cup live,
eight on ARD or ZDF and the remaining matches on Premiere.

As well as advertising boards and other forms of exposure in camera view, the four exclusive TOP partners enjoy access to a comprehensive rights package, including first right of negotiation for television presenting sponsorship on ARD, ZDF and Premiere, as well as on-site promotional rights and many other opportunities. For the first time, each TOP partner will also be granted exclusivity throughout the entire competition in their respective product category. The second partner category, called SPOT partners, have advertising board rights during all matches on free television.

Manfred Hell, CEO at Jack Wolfskin said: “German football and the DFB Cup in particular is a superb marketing and communication platform for us, with a strong impact on our core target market. It’s a package of rights and benefits that enables us to activate our sponsorship effectively.”

Wolfgang Niersbach, DFB General Secretary, said: “Jack Wolfskin is already actively involved as a sponsor of German professional football and has now added the DFB Cup. The company’s quick decision demonstrates that our marketing approach is compatible with the communications strategies of top brands like Jack Wolfskin.”

Günter Netzer, Executive Director of Infront, added: “There is a terrific ‘fit’ between the Jack Wolfskin brand and the DFB Cup and we are very pleased at Jack Wolfskin’s great enthusiasm for this sponsorship platform. They made their minds up very quickly and we are positive that other major brands will follow their lead very soon.”

About Jack Wolfskin
Jack Wolfskin is among the leading providers of functional outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment in Europe and the largest franchisor in the German specialist sports retail market. There are around 200 franchise stores and 2,400 sales locations throughout Europe. Jack Wolfskin products are characterised by a high degree of functionality, user-orientation and innovation. Jack Wolfskin has successfully launched a wide range of new materials and products and holds multiple patents for clothing, backpack and tent technologies. Jack Wolfskin GmbH & Co. KGaA has its company headquarter in Idstein in the Taunus region of Germany and has approx. 340 employees.

About the DFB Cup
The DFB Cup is an elimination tournament held annually. It is the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga championship. Infront has a new central role, handling sponsorship and all stadium advertising rights for all games. Previously, Infront only marketed the eight matches that were covered on television. From 2009 onwards, all 63 games of the competition will be covered live for the first time and all the rights managed from one central source, through Infront.

About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, is an experienced international full service sports marketing company with a capacity for innovation that is helping to transform the industry. These innovations have enhanced every area of sports marketing, including distribution of rights, host broadcast, programme production, event operations, brand development, sponsorship and even online entertainment. Infront has 500 employees across 23 offices in 10 countries.

A renowned player in football
Infront Sports & Media has an extensive football portfolio. The Group is a partner of top European football leagues, including Italian’s Lega Calcio and the French Football League (Ligue 1) – handling the host broadcast for the first division of the up until 2011/2012 – national football associations including the DFB in Germany and several clubs like SV Werder Bremen, FC Schalke 04, U.S. Città di Palermo and S.S. Lazio Rome. Infront is also best known for working with the sport’s governing bodies. It successfully delivered the global media rights sales and host broadcast of the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup™. Today, Infront is involved in the distribution of the Asian media rights to the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup™ (in a joint venture with Dentsu). The company’s dedicated and highly specialised host broadcast organisation Host Broadcast Services (HBS), is handling the host broadcast of the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup™ and also contributes to UEFA Euro™ events.

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For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer
Manager, Communication & PR
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press@infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com

Ingola Metz
PR & Online Editor
Jack Wolfskin
Tel. +49-6126-954 143
Fax +49-6126-954 169
ingola_metz@jack-wolfskin.com
www.jack-wolfskin.com