Hamburg SV continues to fly high with Emirates

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and HSV Chairman Bernd Hoffmann made the announcement at a media conference held at the Emirates Headquarters in Dubai.

In addition to being the club's main shirt sponsor, Emirates will also receive prominent presence on perimeter boards, along with branding on the player's tunnel and an exclusive ticket and hospitality allotment. Emirates will also become a partner in the 'Hamburger Weg' sponsorship initiative.

This announcement comes days before Hamburg SV takes on AC Milan, another Emirates-sponsored club, in the Dubai Football Challenge, a friendly match at Emirates' sports venue 'The Sevens' in Dubai on 6th January.

It is also the first time that international football will be played at this brand new sporting complex, built by Emirates Airline to entertain fans of sport worldwide.

Sheikh Ahmed said, "The renewal of our sponsorship with Hamburg underlines Emirates' commitment to sports fans worldwide, but especially to our customers in Germany. We are very pleased to be able to partner with a sport that so many of our customers are so passionate about, and we believe our association with HSV will help bring Emirates closer to football enthusiasts in Germany, Europe and around the world.

"Both Emirates and HSV have a very international approach, a passion for quality, and a track record for consistently striving for the best. This is the only German club to have never been relegated from the highly competitive Bundesliga. The high calibre of football and their drive to be champions was demonstrated this summer when they successfully challenged Juventus and Real Madrid to win the 2008 Emirates Cup. We look forward to the future with this historic club."

HSV Chairman, Bernd Hoffmann said: "Emirates is an exciting global brand and its presence is becoming a familiar sight at top sporting events around the world. We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with Emirates Airline taking us right through to 2012 and beyond. By expanding its sponsorship to include partnership in the 'Hamburger Weg' initiative, Emirates has made a clear commitment to the city of Hamburg and to this special concept."

Philipp Hasenbein, Managing Director of HSV's marketing partner SPORTFIVE, said: "This contract renewal strengthens the ties between two charismatic international brands. We are proud that a top-notch global airline like Emirates has decided to continue being HSV's main sponsor. Emirates is an important partner for HSV and can count on one of the most-watched and most traditional football clubs in Germany and Europe as an ideal platform for their communications."

Hamburg SV has been an integral part of German football's long and illustrious history. Its past and present players include football icons such as Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, and Rafael van der Vaart. The popular club enjoys a strong fan base not just in Germany and Europe, but also in South America and the Far East.

Germany is one of Emirates' most important commercial markets with 49 weekly flights from four German gateways. Emirates has been serving Hamburg with daily flights since March 2006. It was on 28th July 2008 that Hamburg and Emirates made history when the award-winning airline took delivery of its first of 58 Airbus A380s at the aircraft manufacturer's Jürgen Thomas A380 Delivery Centre in Hamburg.

In addition to its support of HSV, Emirates is an Official Partner of the FIFA World Cup™ with close links to FIFA and all its projects in the 2007-2014 period. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Emirates became the first airline to be an Official Partner of the world's premier football tournament.

Emirates also sponsors Arsenal football club and has the naming rights of their new home, the Emirates Stadium, in addition to partnerships with Paris Saint Germain Football Club, AC Milan and Olympiacos FC. Emirates is also involved in a huge variety of sports including sailing, golf, horseracing, tennis, cricket and rugby.