Valentijn Driessen confronted MediaMarkt CEO Bas Eijssink on Wednesday afternoon with the existing rivalry between Ajax and Feyenoord. The reigning champion of the Netherlands proudly announced on Wednesday that MediaMarkt Nederland will be the new main sponsor from July 1, 2024. Driessen was curious whether Eijssink is not afraid that Ajax supporters will skip a visit to the store from now on.
“How did the employees react on the ArenA Boulevard?” Driessen addressed the CEO of the retail chain during the press conference following the partnership between Feyenoord and MediaMarkt. “First of all, the partnership is very widely supported within the organization. The sport brings people together, so initially there is a lot of pride, also in the organization, about the fact that MediaMarkt has taken this step,” Eijssink responded. “I also think that we are convinced that, regardless of the preference for the club, the fact that MediaMarkt will become so visible within the sport of football, which is surely the biggest sport in the Netherlands, is a matter of pride.”
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Driessen was clearly not satisfied with Eijssink’s response, because the reporter from The Telegraph also wanted to know from him whether he does not fear that Ajax supporters will from now on think twice about visiting or purchasing from the MediaMarkt. “We believe that ultimately the supporters, our customers, will respond the same as the employees. That the visibility and our efforts within the sport are particularly appreciated and that they will also be repaid,” says Eijssink.
Feyenoord commercial director Ruud van der Knaap also wanted to say something about this. “We do a lot of research in the field of sponsorship and partnerships. We have had the same questions in the past and conducted the same research for, for example, Opel, Ziggo and other sponsors at both Ajax and Feyenoord. And what you see is that it’s actually not too bad, that the numbers of people who say ‘I won’t come to the store anymore’ can be counted on two hands.” Van der Knaap sees the ‘opposite’ happening. “Because you are so visible in football, it actually creates greater fame.”
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