Ministry to promote Turkey with Hertha sponsorship

MURAT TOSUN / BERLIN - Hürriyet

The 70,000 capacity Olymiastadion, home for Germany’s Hertha Berlin, is a good arena to promote Turkey during matches, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry. AFP photo

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry is set to ink a sponsorship deal with Hertha BSC, the German capital’s biggest football club, who have returned to the top-tier Bundesliga after one season in the 2nd Bundesliga.

As part of the deal worth 360,000 euros, presentations extolling the wonders of Turkey will take place before home matches for the “Die Alte Dame” (The Old Lady) at the 70,000-person-capacity Berlim Olympiastadion, Minister Ertuğrul Günay told daily Hürriyet.

“It is the first time we are signing such a sponsorship deal. Hertha is one of the most well-established teams in Germany. They also have a big potential in terms of the number of fans,” said the minister.

The move is part of a larger push to expand the scope of Turkey’s overseas promotion, Günay said. “Europe’s interest in football is exciting us.”

The stadium will be decorated with Turkey logos, while fans will have the chance to win holidays to Turkey during half time.

Established in 1892, Hertha has won six league titles to date, although all came in the pre-professional era. The team’s former playmaker, Yıldıray Baştürk, was also a member of the Turkish national team’s squad that placed third at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This year, the team signed a contract with Tunay Torun, a Turkish national player from Hamburg.

Berlin has one of the highest populations of Turks in Germany.