2023-07-02 10:16:15
tzSportSoccer
The renaming of the Mercedes-Benz Arena to the MHP Arena from July 1, 2023 has caused resentment among many VfB fans. © IMAGO / UJ Alexander
The Mercedes-Benz Arena of VfB Stuttgart will officially become the MHP Arena from July 1st. Some fans don’t want to accept that and started a petition.
Stuttgart – Even if the venue of the VfB Stuttgart the name since 2008 Mercedes-Benz-Arena wears: Some fans still affectionately call it the Neckarstadion. Now the VfB supporters have to get used to it again. After the Porsche subsidiary MHP secured the naming rights to the VfB stadium from July 1, 2023 it will officially be called the MHP Arena. The fans are skeptical and fear a risk of confusion with the basketball players’ MHP Arena in Ludwigsburg.
“It’ll be fun when people want to go to VfB, enter MHP Arena into their navigation system and then in Ludwigsburg land,” writes a fan on Twitter. “That will happen in half the games,” agrees another user. In fact, the first division basketball club is not the only one who will share the namesake MHP with VfB in the future: the Porsche subsidiary is also involved as the main sponsor of the Stuttgarter Kickers and 1. FC Heidenheim.
VfB fans upset about the new name MHP Arena – Petition calls for the name to be changed to MHP Neckarstadion
For at least the next ten years, the Stuttgart football stadium will be called the MHP Arena. Long-time fans of the traditional club don’t want to accept that. In a Petition ask for a name change. “No more arena,” they write. “It’s our stadium, where we come in thousands every week to support our VfB.” As a compromise solution, they demand: “We want the MHP Neckarstadion.”
“For a long time now, fans and friends of VfB have wanted the stadium to bear its historic name again,” the petition continues. More than 460 fans have already signed them (as of June 29, 11:07 a.m.). In numerous comments, users explain why they think that renaming it makes sense. “On the one hand, because the name MHP simply means nothing for many people, let alone creates a connection to VfB,” writes a fan. “Until today I didn’t even know that this company existed. On the other hand, this stadium is and always will be the Neckar Stadium. I would still go if it ended up being MHP Neckarstadion.” This has already worked for other clubs.
Mercedes-Benz is stepping back as a sponsor at VfB
The mark Mercedes-Benz is in many people’s minds much more closely linked to the Swabian metropolis and its history than the MHP brand. The car manufacturer with the star remains an important partner of VfB, but is stepping back as a sponsor. As the main sponsor and anchor investor of VfB for many years, it was important to Mercedes-Benz that the club found new, financially strong partners, explains Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and responsible for sales.
In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Bank will in future become the business partner of VfB and will focus its activities on hospitality services for business customers and employees. With the new constellation, the commitment of Mercedes-Benz Bank as the main and shirt partner and of Mercedes-EQ as sleeve partner of the club also ends. VfB Stuttgart can now market these prominent rights from the 2023/24 season.
VfB Stuttgart: Jersey for the new season still without a sponsor
Although it is not yet clear which sponsor will be featured on the VfB shirt next season, the club announced on June 29th new jersey for the Bundesliga season 2023/2024 before. However, the design does not really convince the fans. “Absolutely disappointing”, “Terrible” or “Modern, yes. But beautiful is different,” it says on the internet.
While the fans first have to cope with the news about the new name of the arena and the unfamiliar new jerseys, VfB Stuttgart couldn’t be happier about the new sponsorship deals. “The top employers and global brands Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and MHP together at VfB – that’s all it takes,” emphasizes VfB boss Alexander Wehrle. The total volume of the sponsorship package can bring in more than 100 million euros. The MoU was officially signed on Tuesday (June 27). The necessary contracts are now being drawn up and finalised.
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