Thrilling matches and a great atmosphere in the stands - TV 05/07 Hüttenberg's home matches are always a real attraction for sports fans. And not only when top teams from Kiel and Magdeburg or the local rivals from Wetzlar come to Giessen. Next season, when coach Emir Kurtagic's team goes on the hunt for goals in the second-highest division, fans can once again look forward to top entertainment. And to a squad that is fully committed and gives everything right to the end.
Stadtwerke Gießen has been a sponsor of TV 05/07 Hüttenberg for many years. And has remained loyal to the team even after its unfortunate relegation from the first division. On 9 August, SWG board member Matthias Funk, Ina Weller, authorised signatory and head of the marketing and sales department at SWG, and the two managing directors of Hüttenberger Handball-Marketing GmbH & Co KG, Lothar Weber and Fabian Friedrich, signed a further cooperation agreement. The current agreement is valid for the next three years and is independent of whether the professional team remains in the second national handball league or fulfils its dream and manages to regain promotion to the strongest league in the world.
"SWG and TVH - they simply fit together," explains Matthias Funk on the occasion of the signing. "We have a number of things in common. For example, our regional roots and our endeavours to take different, innovative paths in order to survive the competition." In fact, the club has repeatedly succeeded in integrating young players from its own youth programme into the Bundesliga team. Three key players in the current squad come from the Central Hesse region. They have been playing in Hüttenberg since their youth and have learnt their sporting trade here.
"We are very grateful that SWG believe in us and continue to support us even after relegation," explains Lothar Weber. Without sponsorship, top-class sport as practised in Hüttenberg would be inconceivable. The TVH does not buy expensive players. But the path taken here, which is based on broad-based, meticulous youth work, also costs a lot of money. "For this concept, we need a lot of good coaches and a medical team that already looks after the youngsters," continues Lothar Weber.
As one of the main sponsors, SWG continues to help TVH to deliver its usual good performances. However, the co-operation is not limited to the usual advertising on the jerseys, on the perimeter boards and in the club's various media. In addition, a city bus in the TVH design and with the club's slogan "Handball tradition is at home here" will be travelling through Giessen. "We want to draw attention to the team with the bus. We hope that it will entice one or two people to come to a home game," says Ina Weller, explaining the idea behind the bus advert. "That would be a huge help for us," adds Fabian Friedrich. "Our fans have already shown several times that they can tip the scales. Everyone who cheers our team on from the stands counts."
Those responsible at TV 05/07 Hüttenberg were able to secure the Gießen Osthalle as the venue for the first three and probably the last three home games. "Discussions are still ongoing for further match days," says Lothar Weber. But even if no additional matches are possible in Giessen, great handball is guaranteed. Because the sports hall in Hüttenberg also offers an ideal setting for thrilling matches. After all, the Hüttenberg handball team played all of its home games here when it came out of the third division. So the parquet is definitely suitable for victories.
Further information on TV 05/07 Hüttenberg, especially on the home games in the 2018/2019 season, can be found at www.huettenberg-handball.de