The German hockeyteams have been extremely successful internationally over the last couple of decades. Stars like Moritz Fürste, Florian Fuchs and Janne Müller-Wieland are well known in Germany. When it comes down to the domestic league however, not a lot of people seem seriously interested in the sport. This is suprising because the level of play has been top notch for a lot of years now.
There is no doubt that Hockey does not reach the popularity of soccer, handball or basketball in Germany. In hockey, one can not earn millions – they are mostly in for the fun of it.
As a sports start-up located in Hamburg, we follow the action in our town very closely. As much as the sports-town Hamburg has been criticized over the past few years: Hockey is doing well and still has a lot of potential. Coming next season, the Bundesliga North will only feature teams from Hamburg and out of the six team in the women’s division, five have their homefield in Hamburg. The field-hockey counterparts feature four Hamburg-teams – not too shabby!
We were able to visit the derby between UHC Hamburg and the HTHC. Third against first. Unsurprisingly, the arena was filled to the roof with fans waiting in excitement. For an entry fee of just 6 euro, fans can watch some outstanding hockey, plenty of goals and a game coming down to the wire: HTHC was up 6:2 just a couple of minutes before the final buzzer. Fans not familiar with the sport would think, that the game is in the books. But just two seconds before the horn, the UHC had the chance to tie the game up at 7 due to a short corner. But they did not.
The crowd at said game was very diverse, but younger than average and most of the people were hailing from the region.
Meanwhile in India: The sport of Hockey is booming: Up to 20.000 are attending the games on a regular basis. A great chance for German players to gain experience and earn some money for the expenses that come with playing in Germany. The clubs in India pay up to 100.000 Dollar each month for German stars like Fürste, Fuchs and Chris Rühr who have all played in India. Next to Cricket, Hockey is the No. 1 sport.
If hockey will ever reach such heights in Germany is questionable. But fact is, that hockey is a sport with a bright future in Germany. The TV-ratings of hockey games during the Olympics are above average. It is mandatory to continue the story in domestic arenas and fields. In 2018 for example, the arena-hockey world championship will be held in Germany. A successful tournament could spark a new enthusiasm for the sports, just like the Handball world championship in 2007 did.
If you are interested in sponsoring a specific club, there are plenty of opportunities to choose from. Whether you want to sponsor the small club next door, or traditional powerhouses like the UHC, TSV Mannheim or the Grossflottbeker THC, Sponsoo is more than happy to help you.
If you want to advertise with successful players, we can also offer you some interesting options like Janne Müller-Wieland. Do not hesitate to contact us under mail@sponsoo.de.
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