THE GERMAN Football Association (DFB) has agreed another long-term partnership extension after renewing its contract with beer brand Bitburger.
German sponsorship website sponsors.de values the four-year deal at around €3m per year.
The Bitburg, Germany-based brewer will continue to support the DFB through 2016 after the Association recently agreed similar deals with Coca-Cola and Commerzbank.
The DFB previously stopped negotiations for a contract extension with Bitburger amid concerns over the implications of an “enjoy alcohol-free sport” initiative drawn up by the German Olympic Sports Federation (DSB) and the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA).
The new partnership, however, was confirmed on the condition that Bitburger only promote its alcohol-free products throughout the duration of the partnership.
A general ban on alcohol advertising in German football could reportedly cost clubs around €300m in commercial revenue, including the likes of Bundesliga team Borussia Mönchengladbach, who agreed a five-year deal with Bitburger in July 2011, valued at around €4m.
Joining Bitburger, Coca-Cola and Commerzbank as premium partners of the DFB are Sony and Deutsche Telekom.
Allianz, Lufthansa, McDonald’s, Nivea and REWE are all official partners of the DFB while Mercedes-Benz and adidas are the German Football Association’s lead sponsors.