Bundesliga Champion Borussia Dortmund Partners With German Automaker Opel

German automaker Opel revealed a new sponsorship deal with Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund, according to Lukas Bay of HANDELSBLATT. Opel Interim Chair and CEO Thomas Sedran "announced the new partnership" at the company's headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany. Financial details of the new sponsorship deal were not released, however the team's jersey sponsor will still be Evonik. Opel plans to "advertise on boards and in the stadium magazine." Borussia head coach Jürgen Klopp will play an "important role in the new partnership." Klopp will assume "the role of brand ambassador" for Opel and will drive the manufacturer's vehicles. Car manufactures that previously had sponsorship deals with Klopp were unable to improve their image. Klopp's first sponsor Japanese automaker Mitsubishi ('08-10) "discontinued its European production due to low sale numbers." In '10, Klopp switched to SEAT, but the Spanish automaker "continues to be the problem child" of the Volkswagen Group (HANDELSBLATT, 7/19). BILD reported that the sponsorship deal between Opel and Borussia Dortmund will run until '18. After two consecutive Bundesliga titles, a German Cup victory and the team's participation in the UEFA Champions League, the club's sponsors "finally increased their involvement." In June, Dortmund's title sponsor Evonik "extended its sponsorship deal until '16." So far Evonik paid €7.5M ($9.2M) annually. Now, the industrial corporation pays €10.5M ($12.9M) (BILD, 7/19).

NEW SPONSOR TOASTED: The SID reported that Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt unveiled brewery Krombacher as its new title sponsor. Krombacher will become the jersey sponsor of the newly promoted team. The six-year deal, which is valid for the first and second Bundesliga, is worth €5.5M ($6.7M) (SID, 7/19).