In the course of my work with Adidas, Amer Sports and Puma I conducted numerous negotiations with world-class athletes and associations such as the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) and Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) to negotiate equipment contracts. Back then I sat on the other side of the negotiating table, acquiring in the process deep insight into the expectations of a sponsor.

Although sports sponsorship is still one of the most popular competitive strategies and the positive image transfer from top-level sport to brand promotion can hardly be beaten, it requires carefully planned and above all professional cooperation, accompanied by activities linking the athlete and the brand, to develop a satisfactory brand symbiosis.

From the other perspective it is a matter of taking responsibility for the athletes and managing them professionally, both during their active time at the top and with a view to their subsequent career.