1. FC Köln and the Detroit Lions have agreed upon a strategic partnership over the coming several years. FC and the NFL franchise will build upon their existing global reach and deepen their fan engagement in Germany and the USA.
Köln and Detroit are bound not only by sport, but also with their history as important locations for the automative industry. Both cities are inextricably linked with the history of the US manufacturer, Ford. The origins of the firm are found in Detroit, where Henry Ford founded the first Ford Motor Company factory in 1903. In 1967, Ford set up their European Headquarters in Köln. Ford is a long-term partner of both FC and the Lions. This year, 1. FC Köln and Ford celebrated 30 years of partnership. The connection to the Lions goes even further back, with the Ford family having owned the Detroit Lions since 1964. Since 2002, the Lions have played their home games at the 65,000 capacity Ford Field.
In a sporting sense, both teams have a lot of parallels. As a founding member of the Bundesliga and the first Bundesliga champions, 1. FC Köln is one of the most traditional clubs in Germany. The same applies for the Detroit Lions as the fifth-oldest franchise in the NFL. The Lions were founded in 1928 as the Portsmouth Spartans in Portsmouth, Ohio. In 1934, the move to Detroit followed and the club became the Detroit Lions. Just one year later, the franchise won their first of four NFL Championships.
Traditional club with the courage to innovate
FC stands for the history of a traditional club and at the same time for the openness to go new ways and think outside the box. “New collaborations are an elementary building block for gaining new impetus, adopting new perspectives and tapping into new target groups. With the Detroit Lions, we have found an ideal partner to mutually expand our global reach and deepen fan engagement,” said Philipp Liesenfeld, Managing Director at 1. FC Köln. “Köln and Detroit are not only linked by sport, but also by their history as an important location for the automotive industry. In this case, both cities have historical links to the car manufacturer, Ford.”
The Detroit Lions and 1. FC Köln will work together with Ford Germany and Ford in the USA to utilize the partnership to exploit synergies, particularly in terms of activation. As part of the partnership, the two clubs will organise American Football camps at Geißbockheim for football-loving children and young people, in addition to numerous communication activities and competitions.
Germany is the NFL’s biggest market outside of North America. The NFL has around 19 million fans in Germany, with 54% between the ages of 16 and 34. Up until 2029 at least, Germany will play host to NFL games on a yearly basis. The partnership with 1. FC Köln will give the Detroit Lions the chance to increase their popularity with FC fans and awaken their interest in American Football. For 1. FC Köln, the partnership offers a chance to reach American Football fans in Germany and profit from the strong increase in interest that the NFL is enjoying.
“We are thrilled to launch our first international strategic partnership with 1. FC Köln to connect two incredible fanbases,” said Ashton Mullinix, Senior Vice President of Consumer Revenue & Analytics for the Detroit Lions. “This collaboration brings together two teams with proud histories, resilient fanbases, and unmatched loyalty from their communities. Both clubs helped shape their leagues in their respective countries in countless ways, have deep cultural roots, and a strong sense of pride. We are excited to grow the game of American football globally and create meaningful experiences for our fans both in the United States and Germany.”