German Bundesliga football club Darmstadt 98 has extended its partnership with its main sponsor, enterprise software company Software AG.
The new agreement will run until the summer of 2020. Darmstadt’s current partnership with Software AG had been due to expire at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Software AG has served as the club’s main sponsor since the 2008-09 season. The company’s branding will continue to feature on the front of Darmstadt’s playing jerseys as part of the extended agreement.
Darmstadt is also working with Software AG to develop a fan-relationship management system to enhance the club’s digital presence and improve engagement with supporters.
Darmstadt has also extended its agreements with power company Entega and science and technology firm Merck. Entega and Merck will continue to serve as premium partners of the club until 2020.
“The contract extensions are an incredibly strong and impressive sign – especially at this time,” Darmstadt president Rüdiger Fritsch said. “They are an important basis for the establishment of SV 98 in the field of professional football.
“This clear statement by our main sponsor and our premium partners can certainly be regarded as an appreciation for the jointly achieved overall development of the Lilies in recent years. Entega and Merck have jointly emphasised that with the extension they would not only like to appreciate the sporting upswing in recent years, but also the general importance of the Lilies for Darmstadt and the region.”
Darmstadt was promoted to the Bundesliga in 2015 and finished last season in 14th place. The team has endured a difficult 2016-17 campaign and currently sits bottom of the league with 15 points from 25 games.