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1860 Munich: Pfeifer on the sponsor search for the lions | Sports

A Swabian as the sponsor king of the lions: Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer (41) has been finance boss at TSV 1860 since June 2020, moving from the Stuttgarter Kickers to the Isar. During that time, the number of lion sponsors has almost doubled. There are currently over 70 partners who pay at least 18,600 euros per season. More than 30 pay more than 100,000 euros.

How does the man do it?

BILD: One of your predecessors, Markus Rejek, once said: Sixty is sexy! Have you made the club even more attractive?

Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer (laughs): “Let’s put it this way: the trend is right. The professional team has now finished fourth twice in the third division from 12th and 8th place – that creates attractiveness. Success makes you sexy and arouses desire. For me personally, sixty primarily stands for tradition, family, down-to-earthness and community. These values ​​endure, while sexy is mostly superficial and ephemeral.”

“No one has ever ascended with their mouth”

BILD: The image of the Chaosverein made it difficult to find a partner for years. Since joining 1860, sponsorship revenue has increased by around a million a year…

Pfeifer: “The reputation of the past has changed and greatly improved due to everyone’s success. For the current partners who want to achieve an image transfer, what counts is the here and now as well as the future. We generate many companies with a regional connection and convince with our sporting development and our ambitious goals.

Dream start thanks to Doppel-Glatzel First HSV party with 2300 fans

Source: IMAGE

17.07.2022

BILD: You are giving a newspaper interview for the first time since taking office. Why are you so public shy?

Pfeifer: “I’m not (grins). But I think it’s better: ‘It’s better to do than talk about it.’ Because no one has ever ascended with their mouth.”

BILD: In the last ten years there have been eight finance directors at 1860, many have failed. What role does investor Hasan Ismaik play when you try to attract sponsors?

Pfeifer: “I can only report positive things. And that’s not just a cliche like that. Without the commitment of the Ismaik family and its representatives, but also the good and trusting cooperation with the eV, it would not have been possible to build something. The Ismaik family has provided the breeding ground for growth, especially with the measures relating to the corona pandemic, and the eV is making an important contribution with its support for the youth academy.”

BILD: In terms of finding and winning sponsors: How much are you at the forefront?

Pfeifer: “We work closely and successfully with Infront (marketer of 1860, ed.) as a team. Most of the time I’m there at the beginning. I can be success-oriented, ambitious and emotional and therefore often have a large share of speaking in the first conversations.”

Bad luck at the World Championships in Athletics German falls headfirst into the moat

World Championships in Athletics: German falls headfirst into the moat

Source: BILD/SNTV

17.07.2022

BILD: How long do you need on average to graduate? Let’s take as an example one of the recent new partners, the precious metals trader Pro aurum…

Pfeifer: “Things went very quickly at Pro aurum. First contact May 27th, closing July 13th.”

BILD: Do you have a dream sponsor that you want to win?

Piper (laughs): “Many. And at the same time there is one we are still struggling with: BMW. They joined Real Madrid a few weeks ago, so it seems they want to get into football after all. Perhaps a door will also open for TSV 1860 Munich at BMW. Also against the background that our sponsoring measures are also designed for social responsibility, sustainability and employees. We will be in touch again next week.”

BILD: Where does 1860 actually stand in the sponsorship budget in the third division?

Pfeifer: “Let’s put it this way: We’re playing at the front here too. But there is always one neighbor in the 3rd league where the grass is even greener. We want to use the funds in the best possible way.”

Lion President Robert Reisinger (left) and Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer.  The path is clear: up, into the 2nd league

Lion President Robert Reisinger (left) and Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer. The path is clear: up, into the 2nd league

Foto: picture alliance / Wagner

BILD: Does 1860 now have a salary cap or would it make sense for a player to hang up his payslip in the locker room?

Piper (laughs): “Yes, to annoy us to the maximum. Seriously, we try to use the hard-earned funds well and efficiently.”

BILD: Keyword Grünwalder Stadium….

Pfeifer: “A very challenging, complex topic. We have now sold 11,860 season tickets. Of course, the limited number of spectators plays a role and makes the cards more valuable. We could certainly have sold 55 or 60,000 tickets against Dortmund (Cup game, 1st round, ed.), but moving to the Olympic Stadium was not possible because of the European Championships. In league operations, the conditions are unusual for the market at around 1.5 million euros. There is no better, more economical alternative. Despite the involvement of all decision-makers, many discussions and multiple explanations of the arguments, the city has again not adjusted the conditions for the new season.

BILD: Where will 1860 play next season if promotion works out?

Pfeifer: “We have to find a solution together with the city. But the same applies here: a lot is easier with success behind you.”

BILD: You used to be a goalkeeper, now a manager. There’s another one in the neighborhood…

Pfeifer: “You mean Jürgen Wittmann, my colleague who takes care of the organization of our youth academy?! The team sport football and the responsibility in goal were very formative, but a professional career was never my goal. I already said to my parents when I was five years old: ‘One day I’ll be Bundesliga manager.'”

BILD: We were thinking more of Oliver Kahn, but good. So far you’re only in the third league…

Piper (laughs): “Still. For me, the lions aren’t a stepping stone, if that’s what you want to ask next. I put an incredible amount of time, diligence, love and emotions into the lions and we are still a long way from reaching 100 percent as a team. I got that from my grandpa. Working independently and constantly was always the credo. It is my dream to arrive in the Bundesliga in a few years – with TSV 1860 Munich.”

BILD: In the family you are completely out of the ordinary…

Piper (laughs): “You see, I don’t just have to assert myself in my professional environment, but also at home. I come from a family of pharmacists, my brothers studied either pharmacy or medicine. I asserted myself and pursued my goals. And get very important values ​​along the way: You can only be successful as a team. This is true in life as well as on the football field: Even a Cristiano Ronaldo in his prime could not shine if the team didn’t work. And that’s how it is at work too.”

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