Wien Energie to remain SK Rapid’s main sponsor until 2019
Whilst the freshly finished season proved a difficult one on the field, away from the pitch the partnership between Wien Energie and SK Rapid continues to thrive. Wien Energie will remain the club's main sponsor up until the end of the 2018/19 season at the earliest. The extension to the partnership between Austria's biggest energy supplier and the nation's most decorated football club was announced at a press conference two days before the cup final clash against Salzburg.
SK Rapid Vienna CEO Christoph Peschek stated: "I'm delighted that in the coming two seasons the club can continue to rely on its most ardent and clearly most important partner. As is well known, our working relationship began way back in 2003/04 and hence in July we move onto our 15th season together. It'll represent a small but incredibly noteworthy anniversary! We've celebrated many successes together, but Wien Energie has shown they are a partner through difficult times as well as good; be it the financial difficulties we were experiencing a few seasons back or the sporting problems we had last season. They have been 100% at our side throughout. Such support is not to be taken for granted, and for this loyalty I want to unreservedly express my gratitude."
Wien Energie CEO Michael Strebl: "We are standing by SK Rapid, in good and bad times. Wien Energie has two million customers; SK Rapid around 900,000 loyal fans. Since the beginning of this season the Allianz Stadium represents not only an impressive sporting arena, but also myriad opportunities to successfully drive forwards our co-operation. We are proud of how we have seamlessly blended two of Austria's foremost brands into a successful partnership from which both parties profit." Wien Energie will for the next two seasons – in addition to having their own hospitality area for clients and partners - continue to be the club’s shirt sponsor and appear on digital advertising boards at home games.
The SK Rapid Vienna and Wien Energie partnership
In 2003 Rapid first took to the field with the Wien Energie logo emblazoned on their shirts. Since that day, Wien Energie has continued to be the club's main sponsor. In the fourteen years that followed, this successful partnership led to many high points and glory evenings, such as the league championship titles in 2005 and 2008; qualification for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 2005 and the UEFA Europa League in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
New season - new initiatives
The partnership with SK Rapid has also profited individuals. Alongside the Wien Energie Sport Week, Rapid fans who are Wien Energie customers can receive a range of bonuses via the Wien Energie Vorteils App. Here fans can benefit from discounts in the club shop, ticketing offers for home games in the Allianz Stadium, and various competitions run in tandem with SK Rapid. This level of fan investment is novel in the energy market.
"Again in the coming seasons we’ve already been toying with innovative ideas and will have a range of interesting offers which exceed the usual adverts and ticketing deals. The partnership with Wien Energie is and remains an enormously important cornerstone of our economic ambitions and in the reaching of our connected sporting targets", added Peschek.
In addition, Wien Energie is planning a special August offer that ties in with the tradition of the club and the founding year of 1899.
(gw)