The mood at the economically stricken handball master HB Ludwigsburg fluctuates between uncertainty and light optimism. How could that happen? What makes hope?
You want to have your peace. The players of handball series champion HB Ludwigsburg trained on Friday in the sports hall in the Pflugfelden district. Media representatives were not welcome. On Tuesday it became known that the German handball champions of the past four years have been in considerable financial difficulties. It is extremely difficult for the team to focus on sporty. It is the last training session before the players are allowed to pause and breathe for a week. Part one of the season preparation has been completed. The break had been planned for a long time, it has nothing to do with the explosive current situation.
It is still puzzled how this economic imbalance could lead to the most successful German handball club of women. From a sporting point of view, the dominance of HB Ludwigsburg is comparable to the position of FC Bayern Munich in men’s professional football. But sponsorship in women’s handball seems to be an enormous challenge.
HB Ludwigsburg knew about reducing the Sponsorship
At HB Ludwigsburg, the team was already operating under SG BBM Bietigheim (until 2024), especially on the lavish donations of money from Mäzen Eberhard Bezner, the senior director of the main sponsor Olympus. The Olympus Bezner KG, a leading German clothing manufacturer from Bietigheim, contributed the lion’s share of the annual act of three million euros.
But in the summer of 2024, main sponsor Olymp announced that he would significantly reduce his achievements from the 2025/26 season. HB Ludwigsburg does not want to say anything about the sums. According to information from the Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung, 30 to 40 percent less money should flow. Mark Bezner, managing partner of the company, confirmed to SWR Sport that this decision was “coordinated early with the HB Ludwigsburg board in June 2024.” The background to the decision is a change in the brand communication strategy in the face of changed framework conditions in the fashion market. “That is why we have reduced our marketing activities in the field of sports sponsorship.”
What makes sponsorship search so difficult?
HB Ludwigsburg therefore had one year to adjust to this changed economic situation. Christian Köhle, CEO of the HB Ludwigsburg EV, is convinced in the SWR Sport interview that two factors are particularly responsible for the less successful search for sponsorship. On the one hand, there is the overall economic situation. An employer can currently “not sell a new sports sponsoring to his employees.” On the other hand, Köhle had to determine:
Women’s sports do not receive the appreciation that he actually deserves.
Christian Köhle, CEO HB Ludwigsburg eV
Nevertheless, discussions with new potential donors have been held again and again in the past few months, but they ended in a dead end. Managing Director Sebastian Götz, who is currently doing his office, informed the board that he was in good and promising discussions with large companies. Although sponsors had also been gained, “it has not been true that the end was as it should have been. That is hard for us now,” says Köhle.
CEO Köhle: “We might have had to intervene more”
Olympics Marc Bezner finds it “extremely regrettable that the club (…) has not succeeded in exploring any opportunities for compensation or gaining new sponsors over the past few months.” And then follows a sentence that can be interpreted as a small tip against those responsible for HB Ludwigsburg. “The necessary lead time was given to adjust to the upcoming situation and take appropriate measures in good time.” CEO Köhle is smarter today: “We might have had to intervene more,” he admits in view of the less successful search for sponsors from the managing director. “There is a little taste.”
Matthias Knecht, Mayor of the City of Ludwigsburg, is also not pleased with the situation with the handball Bundesliga club. “For us as a city, this is of course a bitter development,” he says in the SWR interview. HB Ludwigsburg is a figurehead of the city. Personally, he was disappointed. “You also curse because you thought it was a long -term story. It is bitter – also for the players who have integrated well.” Knecht adds:
Perhaps losing these players to other cities in Europe hurts a lot.
Matthias Knecht, Mayor Ludwigsburg
He does not want to go into the mostly unsuccessful sponsorship acquisition last year. Just so much: “For us when moving from Bietigheim to Ludwigsburg, it was clear that we need the support of family Bezner and from the existing sponsors for a while. We cannot find new sponsors in Ludwigsburg. Now the problem has arisen because no new sponsors have followed.”
The club boss is combative
New funds are urgently needed. On the Gofundme platform, a handball fan has launched the crowdfunding project “Rettet the HB Ludwigsburg women”. The donation goal is 200,000 euros. After two days, almost 1,500 euros (as of July 25th) have been collected.
In order to generate further funds, Köhle and his team want to approach the existing sponsors “with an open visor”. “We have good conversations,” he says combative. You want to save the project. The team will not allow the team apart and the players as soon as possible. “We have a good feeling for you that you are very loyal.” The big goal is not to have any staff.
Ludwigsburg’s OB Knecht sounds more reserved: “I’m a little more pessimistic than I was two or three weeks ago. But hope dies last.” HB Ludwigsburg CEO Köhle, on the other hand, firmly believes “that in Munich we will get our first title with the Supercup this year and start the season successfully.”
Players, coaching staff, fans, sponsors and city – they all would like to believe these words.
