On the Pitch

VISIT TAMPA BAY SCORES WITH GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED F.C. ST. PAULI

Hamburg-based Bundesliga team and Visit Tampa Bay announce Kapitan level sponsorship


TAMPA, FL (July 9, 2024) – Visit Tampa Bay and FC St. Pauli are pleased to announce a new partnership whereby Visit Tampa Bay will support the club from Millerntor Stadium in the future. The partnership was agreed at "captain" level for two initial seasons.

The heart of Florida's Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit destination marketing organization, Visit Tampa Bay works with more than 900 partners to tell the story of Tampa Bay to the world.

"We are thrilled to have Visit Tampa Bay as a partner on our side," said Wilken Engelbracht, Commercial Director of FC St. Pauli. "This partnership opens up new opportunities for us to strengthen our international relationships and share the values that define our club around the world. We look forward to a successful collaboration and many joint projects."

Visit Tampa Bay is certified by Destinations International's Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) and aims to be present at Millerntor Stadium for home games throughout the season. Visit Tampa Bay is also committed to emphasizing the shared values of its partners - especially the promotion of inclusion, acceptance and diverse, equitable and inclusive business practices. Like FC St. Pauli, the destination marketing organization wants to strengthen the local progressive community.

F.C. St. Pauli
F.C. St. Pauli
FC St. Pauli Commercial Director Wilken Engelbracht, Visit Tampa Bay Chief Marketing Officer Patrick Harrison, Visit Tampa Bay Director of Global Sales Stefanie Zinke, and AVIAREPS Germany General Manager Jürgen Salzer celebrate their organizations’ strategic partnership for the next two seasons by holding up FC St. Pauli home and away shirts emblazoned with Visit Tampa Bay in Hamburg, Germany.

“The culture surrounding St. Pauli FC reflects Tampa Bay’s high energy, spirit, and fun,” said Santiago C. Corrada, president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay. “And, like Tampa Bay’s own Gasparilla pirate heritage, St. Pauli’s skull-and-crossbones team flag equally embodies the spirit of swashbuckling rebellion. With our growing connections in Germany, this partnership provides even more opportunities to share our collective commitments to inclusion and acceptance on a global platform.”

The initial two-year deal, which began July 1, 2024, includes media opportunities, Tampa takeovers and more.  We look forward to taking over Hamburg in the very near future and fans can expect to see Tampa Bay well-represented throughout the season in the Millerntor-Stadion.  Germany is traditionally a leading international market for visitors to Tampa Bay, and the daily Discover flights from Frankfurt plus other hub airports in Switzerland, The Netherlands and the UK, enable Tampa Bay to directly connect with FC St. Pauli’s global following.


ABOUT VISIT TAMPA BAY

The heart of Florida’s Gulf Coast beats in Tampa Bay. Visit Tampa Bay encourages adventure with a relaxing vibe to create vacation experiences that are authentically Tampa Bay. As a not-for-profit corporation certified by Destinations International’s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), we work with hundreds of partners to tell the world the story of Tampa Bay. Treasure awaits. For more information, visit our website.


ABOUT FC ST. PAULI

In 2009, FC St. Pauli became the first club in Germany to adopt a set of guiding principles [Leitlinien] when a corresponding resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority at the club AGM. More than 200 people had previously attended the inaugural St. Pauli congress, where they spent an entire weekend debating various issues of importance to club members, employees, supporters, and volunteers. Based on the conclusions of this congress, a working group developed a draft proposal for the guiding principles that was subsequently adopted with immediate effect at the club AGM. These principles will form an integral part of contracts and agreements in future and serve as a reference point for everyone involved with the club. To learn more about FC St. Pauli’s Guiding Principles visit: fcstpauli.com/en/club/guiding-principles