Hamburg, 13 September 2023 – The international sport marketing agency SPORTFIVE and Supponor, the market leader in the virtual advertising industry for over a decade, extend their virtual advertising partnership – an agreement that will see their relationship expanding in the German territory.
Offering the only league-wide virtual advertising solution approved by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) in the Bundesliga, Supponor and SPORTFIVE have enjoyed a successful partnership since 2017. By extending their collaboration, the companies will be able to work with SPORTFIVE’s partner clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, FC Union Berlin, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart, among others as well as will explore opportunities in other sports.
Virtual advertising is of crucial importance for global and regional sponsoring partnerships outside of the German-speaking market. Working closely together, Supponor enables SPORTFIVE to further monetize the marketing rights for clubs and rights holders and generate virtual advertising inventory to serve partners and advertisers with tailor-made messages to reach their target audience.
The fans in the stadiums and domestic TV audiences see no change to the physical messages in the stadium, while messages that are shown to the international TV audience can be targeted individually, depending on the market by virtually overlaying existing animated perimeter LED boards from within the live broadcast signal.
Supponor’s proprietary technology platform, Supponor AIR®, is a fully software-based solution that leverages cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques. It offers a proven and reliable method to modify regular transmission content, enabling virtual multiplication of perimeter advertising space across various international markets. This dynamic platform empowers advertising partners with numerous options, including a tailored approach for target groups in different regions and the flexibility to secure different partners per region for the rights holders.
“We are delighted to renew our partnership with our longest-lasting client on the German market, SPORTFIVE, a company that shares our vision for the potential of virtual advertising. Since 2017, our collaboration has helped to evolve the landscape of sports advertising in the Bundesliga,” said Massimo Magrì, EMEA Managing Director at Supponor. “This extension is a testament to the success we’ve seen thus far and will ensure our solutions continue to deliver unparalleled value to advertisers, rights holders, and fans alike.”
“At SPORTFIVE, we value innovation and adaptation, especially when it provides exciting opportunities for our clients, and our collaboration with Supponor is a great example of this philosophy in action,” said Kai Rippe, Senior Vice President Rightsholder Business at SPORTFIVE. “Through our partnership, we’ve been able to give brands access to the global Bundesliga audience, allowing them to create powerful connections with fans worldwide. This partnership extension signals our commitment to continue pushing the boundaries of sports advertising.”
