"After one and a half seasons together, with JAKO being a highly professional and efficient partner, we were happy to enter a closer relationship through a long-term strategy," said Bayer 04 CEO Michael Schade. "Not just because of the improved financial considerations, we are now extending our contractual relationship with JAKO. Our supplier has performed brilliantly since the start of the partnership in 2016. Thanks to the outstanding quality of materials, special service provision, high flexibility and creativity, JAKO has become a premium partner in a very short space of time and we want to hold onto that support and expertise in the future. For JAKO, we were not only the clear number one in the ranking of partners – as we felt on a daily basis and that was, above all, demonstrated by their actions," said Schade.
The company from Hollenbach, a partner of professional clubs in European football for over 20 years, has been able to achieve set marketing targets through the joint venture with Bayer 04. Rudi Sprügel, chairman of the board at JAKO, was also very pleased after the signing of the new four-year contract: "We're very happy to go forward into the future together with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. That means we will remain a partner of a top club with an international profile for at least another four years. This extension is a logical step for us. In the previous 18 months of our partnership, both sides have been living proof of the team approach. We have been able to benefit from the expertise of the club on all levels and we have done our best every day to supply top quality kit to the Werkself and their fans. At the same time, our partnership has brought us closer together. On that basis, we want to develop all aspects of our partnership, increase the visibility of our two brands across all channels and make full use of the great opportunities provided by Bayer 04 Leverkusen. So I'm looking forward to an exciting second half of the season and I'm confident JAKO and the Werkself will soon be seen on the European stage once again."
Bayer 04 sporting director Rudi Völler sees the extension of the contract as the logical continuation of a success story: "Both sides have recognised the great potential of this partnership," said Völler. "We offer JAKO the opportunity to continue to grow alongside a top German club. And our partner continues to supply us with high-quality equipment that is both functional and looks good. The designs and ideas presented to us by JAKO over the last year and a half have all been implemented," declared Völler. "We are now looking forward to new joint projects and ideas."
Striker Verena Wieder is leaving Bayer 04 Women after four years to join fellow Google Pixel Bundesliga club Werder Bremen at the end of the season when her contract expires.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, is Bayer 04’s record appearance holder in the Bundesliga with 401 games, and is the only Leverkusen player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB-Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red encyclopaedia takes Werkself fans on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month with our series ‘Rudi recounts…’.
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The Werkself are away at Roma for the first leg of their 2023/24 UEFA Europa League semi-final tie on Thursday, 2 May (kick-off 9pm CEST). The Bayer 04 Fan Liaison team has all the info you need for the match at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital…
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Niklas Lomb has been at Bayer 04 for 16 years, joining at U17 level in 2008, and is now able to call himself a Bundesliga champion. After a few loan spells, the goalkeeper is a fixture of the Werkself first team and an “important part of our ambitious team”, according to Simon Rolfes. It’s been an emotional few days for the 30-year-old, who signed a contract extension through to 2027 earlier this month as well.
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