SWG remain supporters of the Bender Baskets

Stadtwerke Gießen is extending its successful partnership with the Bender Baskets for a further three years.

Thrilling matches, national success and simply top-class basketball – that’s exactly what the TSV 1883 Grünberg women’s basketball team stands for. In the region, the team is better known as the Bender Baskets. And it has been proving its worth in the 2nd Bundesliga for almost 20 years now. Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) has been supporting this long-established club as a sponsor since 2008. The two partners recently extended this successful partnership for a further three years.

This means the Bender Baskets can continue to rely on SWG’s support in the future. “For us as a small club, sponsors like SWG are indispensable,” emphasises Otto Klockemann, who has been responsible for securing sponsors for the Bender Baskets for many years. After all, one thing is clear: top-flight basketball at Bundesliga level involves significant financial outlay. “We are delighted that the partnership is continuing and that we can count on Stadtwerke,” says Heike Menz, who is responsible for the basketball department’s finances.

Supporting young talent
In semi-professional team sports, such as those played by the Bender Baskets, the development of young players plays a central role. That is why TSV Grünberg has always nurtured its own talent and gradually introduced them to the first team. To this end, there is at least one team in every age group of the girls’ youth programme, from the Minis up to the U18s. And these teams are usually among the frontrunners, regularly bringing titles back to Grünberg: these include three German championships, four German Cup titles, multiple Hessen Cup titles and state championships, making TSV Grünberg one of the most successful clubs in Hessen when it comes to basketball for girls and young women. Yet despite the club’s performance-oriented approach and clear focus on the senior women’s team, there is still plenty of scope for recreational sport at TSV Grünberg. “Children and young people who simply want to have fun can also play basketball here,” reveals youth coordinator Aleksandra Heuser.

A valuable partnership
There are many good reasons why SWG continues to support the women’s basketball team from Grünberg. On the one hand, of course, there is their sporting success, but also the club’s outstanding youth work. “The Bender Baskets lead by example and serve as a real role model in the region, particularly when it comes to promoting young talent,” says Ulli Boos, company spokesperson at SWG. He adds: “What’s more, we work with the club as equals. All of this made it easy for us to decide to extend the contract.”

However, SWG’s support is not limited to financial backing. Twice a season, the SWG mascot Fabius visits a home game at the Theo-Koch-Schule sports hall and creates a fantastic atmosphere in the stands. “Fabius is a real attraction every time and adds to the match day experience,” the entire Bender Baskets team and the board are certain.