Bundesliga side Hoffenheim and MLS club FC Cincinnati enter partnership

Bundesliga's TSG Hoffenheim and MLS club FC Cincinnati enter partnership. Photo: Courtesy, Bundesliga

Bundesliga’s TSG Hoffenheim and MLS club FC Cincinnati enter partnership. Photo: Courtesy, Bundesliga

In the latest sign of growing trans-Atlantic football engagement, TSG Hoffenheim
and FC Cincinnati have entered into a partnership that should see both teams benefit
from both branding exposure and innovations in two very different football cultures.

“We’re very pleased that we’ve been able to win a partner in the US football
growth market for an ongoing partnership. We have a lot in common with FC
Cincinnati, such as our commitment to social responsibility, our clear focus on
top-class sport and a consistently innovative focus,” said Hoffenheim managing
director Peter Görlich.

FC Cincinnati was founded in 2016 and entered Major League Soccer (MLS) as
the 24th team in February 2019. Cincinnati, which has a strong German
influence, is a football bastion in the US state of Ohio.

A friendly against English Premier League side Crystal Palace attracted more
than 35,000 spectators in 2018, a record for the state of Ohio, where
Columbus Crew is home to a second MLS team. In January 2020, Jürgen
Locadia moved from Hoffenheim to FC Cincinnati, and American youth
international Joseph-Claude Gyau, another former Hoffenheim played
professional, plays for the MLS team.
“We strive for a diverse partnership that not only affects the football schooling
and the mutual transfer of innovations but also our companies with a brand
and image exchange,” explained Görlich.

“It’s a great day for us to conclude the cooperation with Hoffenheim. We’re
very proud. The partnership enables us to develop together on many levels,”
said Gerard Nijkamp, Sports Director of FC Cincinnati.

“Cincinnati is an innovative club that is currently building a fantastic stadium.
The MLS environment is also extremely interesting because more and more
talented American football players are entering the European market,” said
Hoffenheim director of football Alexander Rosen.

Rosen has confirmed that in the coming months the opportunity for players to
move between the two clubs will become more realistic.

Tom Kirkwood