Off The Pitch

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 FC Bayern München's Peter Romics, Director of Global Commerce, and Benjamin Hoeneß, Director of Global Partnerships, will jointly oversee the club’s international activities as Managing Directors of FC Bayern International GmbH. 🤝 Chelsea Football Club have agreed a multi-year partnership with customer engagement platform Twilio, aiming to deliver more personalised experiences for their fanbase. 🤝 FC Internazionale Milano have partnered with WTW, making the British-American company the club’s official insurance brokerage partner. 🤝 Aston Villa Football Club have named eSentire as their new official cybersecurity partner. Founded in 2001, the company will provide the club with a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. 🤝 DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and Tipico have extended their partnership until 2028. The German sports betting company has been an official partner of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga since 2018. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese League, has declared his candidacy for the presidency of the FPF - Federação Portuguesa de Futebol. 👔 West Ham United FC have confirmed that Technical Director Tim Steidten is leaving the club. New Head Coach Graham Potter has appointed Kyle Macaulay as his Head of Recruitment. 👔 Hugo Viana has stepped down as Director of Football at Sporting CP ahead of replacing the outgoing Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City Football Club’s Director of Football. Initially set to leave at the end of the 2024/25 season, Viana has brought his departure forward. 👔 Giuseppe Marotta, Ezio Simonelli, Francesco Calvo, and Stefano Campoccia have been elected as Federal Council members for Lega Serie A. 👔 The Danish FA, Dansk Boldspil-Union (DBU), has appointed Anders Gerber as Technical Director to further strengthen its football development structure. 🤝 FC Barcelona and Panasonic have signed a sponsorship agreement, making the company the official heating, ventilation, and air conditioning provider for Espai Barça until 30 June 2028. 🤝 UEFA and Gillette have agreed on a multi-year global licensing deal for the UEFA Champions League. 🤝 KAA Gent have announced a new partnership with sports news platform Circus Daily, whose logo will appear on the back of the club’s shirt. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Reyes Bellver has been appointed director of women's football at the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF). 👔 Gabriele Gravina has secured re-election as president of FIGC - Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, earning a third term in office. 👔 Alessandro ANTONELLO, the Corporate CEO of FC Internazionale Milano, is leaving the club after a decade. 💰 Grupo Élite, owners of Racing Club de Ferrol, S.A.D, have acquired a majority stake in Portuguese club CD Tondela. 💰 Albacete Balompié have concluded the 2023/24 financial year with a profit of €631,000, driven by broadcasting revenue and player transfers. 🤝 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has extended its partnership with Visa, broadening the agreement to cover more international regions. 🤝 TSG Hoffenheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH and payment and software firm Unzer have renewed and expanded their partnership until 2026. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Tim Vanheuverzwijn has been appointed as RSC Anderlecht’s new Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Klaas Reynaert, who will become Cercle Brugge KSV’s CEO from 1st March. 👔 Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach GmbH have extended the contract of sporting director Roland Virkus, which was set to expire at the end of the season. 👔 Thibault Dochy, previously Chief Legal & HR, has been promoted to Technical Director at RSC Anderlecht. 🤝 AC Milan and Bitpanda have expanded their partnership, with the cryptocurrency company becoming the club’s new back-of-shirt sponsor. 💰 Brøndby IF have successfully completed their share issue, raising €22 million. 🤝 Lega Serie A has named BANCOMAT as an official partner for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

Lincoln City FC are adopting a strategic approach to achieve sustainable growth in football. Insights from director of football Jez George and CEO Liam Scully reveal how the club is leveraging financial stability to focus on long-term recruitment and player development, setting a course for steady progress, backed by American investment. #FootballFinance #SportsBusiness #Football #Finance #SportsBiz #Intelligence #Data #Newsletter

In an interview with Off The Pitch, Kevin Sim, Head of Asia Pacific at Bundesliga International GmbH, shares how the league is taking a long-term approach to building its presence in China. Rather than relying solely on broadcasting deals, the Bundesliga is investing in grassroots development, regional engagement, and storytelling to connect with fans. A key pillar of this strategy is the Bundesliga Dream China initiative, which provides young Chinese players with elite training opportunities in Germany. The goal? To develop future stars who can inspire the next generation of players and fans 1. How is the Bundesliga engaging with Chinese football fans? The league maintains a strong presence through long-standing broadcast deals, social media engagement, and region-specific campaigns. Instead of relying solely on traditional marketing, it prioritizes storytelling and community interaction. 2. What is the ‘Bundesliga Dream China’ initiative? This program, developed with the Chinese Football Association, sends young Chinese players to train at Bundesliga academies. The goal is to develop top talent while inspiring the next generation of fans. 3. Why does local investment matter for football leagues in China? China’s football market is vast and diverse, requiring tailored strategies. Having local offices, understanding cultural nuances, and investing in grassroots development are crucial for long-term success. Read interview 👇 https://lnkd.in/dcP-r_qY #FootballFinance #SportsBusiness #Football #Finance #SportsBiz #Intelligence #Data

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Severiano Garcia Ruiz has been appointed as the new technical secretary of Club Atlético de Madrid, having previously served as the general director of football at Atlético de San Luis. 👔 Allan L. Agerholm has been named the new CEO of Danish club Esbjerg fB, succeeding Jens Hammer Sørensen. 🏟️ FC Barcelona have announced their intention to request permission from the Barcelona City Council to remain at the Olympic Stadium until the end of the season. 🤝 Lega Serie A have formed a new partnership with Kings League aimed at developing collaborative events, content, and activities to enhance fan experiences. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 🤝 The Football Association has extended its partnership with EE as the lead sponsor of all England teams and Wembley Stadium until 2028. EE has also renewed with with FAs in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales 🏟️ UD Almería have unveiled plans for their future Sports City, which will cover 132,000 square metres and involve an investment of €13 million. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Uwe Tigges has been appointed interim chairman of VfL Bochum 1848 GmbH & Co. KGaA following the dismissal of Hans-Peter Villis. His removal was attributed to a loss of the "mutual trust necessary for constructive cooperation under his leadership." A new election is scheduled for 14 June. 👔 Xavier O'Callaghan has been appointed as FC Barcelona’s new director of professional sports, succeeding Xavier Budó, who resigned from the role in June last year. The club also confirmed the resignation of Juli Guiu as director of the commercial and marketing departments. 🤝 Real Federación Española de Fútbol and SEAT S.A. have renewed their partnership until 2027. Seat, which has sponsored the Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina since 2023, will continue its support for two more seasons. 🤝 Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) and TotalEnergies have extended their partnership for another four years. The French company will sponsor 12 major CAF events, including the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations. 🤝 Racing Club have expanded their partnership with Betsson Group, making the betting and online casino operator their front-of-shirt sponsor. The agreement runs until 2027, with an option to extend for a further two years. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment

⚽️ Morning Snapshot 👔 Pascal PLANCQUE has been named the new technical director of French Ligue 2 side Stade Malherbe Caen, succeeding Gérard Precheur, who departed two weeks ago. 💰 OGC NICE have reported a loss of €27 million for the 2023/24 season. However, the club have reduced their deficit by 58 per cent compared to the previous season and achieved a record turnover exceeding €100 million. 💰 U.S. Lecce have recorded a profit of €13.9 million for the 2023/24 season, according. This is the club's second consecutive year of profitability, with turnover rising by 44 per cent year-on-year to reach €85.3 million. 🤝 Club Atlético de Madrid have announced a partnership with Hantec Markets as their new official online trading sponsor for Latin America, with the agreement running until 2027. 🤝 Paris Saint-Germain have extended their sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways until 2028. The airline, which became the club’s main sponsor in 2022, will continue its partnership under terms similar to the initial €60 million-per-year agreement. #Partnership #Broadcasting #SportsBusiness #Commercial #Sponsorship #Football #SportsBiz #Finance #People #Data #Tech #Intelligence #Investment