After securing International Home Marketing Area rights for Germany and Mexico in December, the Kansas City Chiefs have announced six members appointed to the club's inaugural International Expansion Advisory Board in Germany. The club plans to develop a complementary advisory board for the Mexico market in the coming months.
The group of professionals come from varied backgrounds across Germany and will provide market-specific subject matter expertise as the club eyes continued growth and expansion of Chiefs Kingdom in the country. The advisory board will evaluate and provide feedback on club marketing, business development and communications plans, as well as help the team forge deeper relationships with key stakeholders among brands, media, sports federations, fan groups and non-profit organizations.
"This is a proud day for the Chiefs franchise and the Hunt family as the club has supported and invested in the global growth of American football and its fanbase for more than 30 years," Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. "Our club's goals for international expansion require a thoughtful, long-term commitment to Germany and its football fans. We are thrilled to introduce this group of dedicated, innovative leaders who will help advise us on our current and future efforts in the market to reach and exceed those goals. We have much to learn and look forward to getting started."
The board members include, in alphabetical order:
- Jana Bernhard, Chief Executive Officer, S20
- Holger Blask, Managing Director, Marketing and Sales, Deutscher Fußball Bund
- Andreas Jung, Executive Board Member, FC Bayern Munich
- Marco Klewenhagen, Managing Director, SPONSORs
- Wolfram Kons, Head of Charity and Vice President, RTL Foundation – We help children
- Karsten Petry, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Deutsche Sporthilfe
"The Kansas City Chiefs have shown great commitment to the growth of American football in Germany. FC Bayern understands the value of having an international presence to learn and advise on how to better connect with local fans, which can be seen with our offices in New York, Shanghai and Bangkok. I look forward to working with the Chiefs Advisory Board, offering strategic guidance and support," Andreas Jung, FC Bayern Munich Executive Board Member, said.
"I am delighted to join the Chiefs Advisory Board in Germany along with some great leaders in sport to support the global growth of American football and the NFL," Jana Bernhard, S20 Chief Executive Officer, said.
The board is scheduled to meet quarterly, with a focus on aligning around key events in both the NFL calendar and in Germany.
