Borussia Dortmund (BVB) has named Vodafone its new main sponsor for the next five years following a social media post featuring next season’s kit design.
Announced on May 26, the partnership will see Vodafone’s logo feature on the Bundesliga club’s shirts from the 2025/26 season. As a sign of solidarity, the telecom giant has agreed to change its usual red and white logo to black, aligning with BVB’s iconic yellow kits.
This design change may help ease concerns among fans, particularly as red and white are closely associated with BVB’s fierce rivals, Bayern Munich.
“Vodafone is a global player that has a strong track record of innovation and takes a social stance. Both will be very clearly reflected in our alliance in the coming years,”said Carsten Cramer, Managing Director at BVB.
“Their Vodafone logo in our black on all yellow jerseys of the new season already shows: This will definitely not be an off-the-peg cooperation. This will be a very special partnership.”
“Together we will attack – on the pitch, on the Internet and in the hearts of the people.” – Vodafone Residential Customer CEO Matthias Lorenz
The club statement frequently references words like “offensive” and “attack”, suggesting this partnership is about driving change and taking a proactive approach.
Kicking off the partnership, an innovation and technology offensive will aim to deliver new digital experiences for fans. The club states this will cover engagement in the stadium, on the app or in everyday life for both Vodafone customers and the broader BVB community.
“We are proud to become part of the BVB family. We are united by the will to be better every day than yesterday – on the pitch as well as on the net. This partnership is not just a sponsorship, it is a statement for growth and the merger of two brands with international appeal,” said Marcel de Groot, CEO of Vodafone Germany.
History of sports partnerships
Vodafone has a strong track record in sports sponsorship, with a wide range of partnerships over the years. One of its most memorable deals was with Manchester United, starting in 2000. During the deal, the club won the Premier League twice, making the partnership one of its most memorable.
While BVB will be hoping for similar success, Vodafone’s more recent sponsorships have focused on innovation and athlete performance.
In 2021, Vodafone was the lead partner for the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa, where it introduced its PLAYER.Connect platform, designed to enhance player performance through data-driven insights.
The platform has since evolved. As the founding principal partner of Wales Women’s and Girls’ Rugby, Vodafone recently unveiled a new concussion tracking feature on PLAYER.Connect. This technology aims to help players, coaches and medical teams better understand how the menstrual cycle can affect concussion symptoms and recovery.
Vodafone Residential Customer CEO Matthias Lorenz has hinted innovations like these will be part of the new Borussia Dortmund partnership.
“Borussia Dortmund stands for passion, speed and real fan proximity – just like us. With this partnership, we are not only putting our logo on the jersey, but also bringing all our innovative strength into play,” said Lorenz.
“Together we will attack – on the pitch, on the Internet and in the hearts of the people.”
