!NEW! Opel goes back to the future with Feyenoord Rotterdam

Opel Company today announced a new partnership with one of the leading Dutch football clubs

From left: Karl Howkins, Managing Director, Opel Netherlands and Feyenoord Head coach Ronald Koeman with the new Opel Cascada convertible

A four year agreement has been reached for the Opel logo to be carried on Feyenoord shirts from 2013-17. The partnership signals an extension of a long running relationship which dates back almost 30 years to when Opel was main club sponsor from 1984-89.

 From left to right: Karl Howkins CEO Opel Netherlands, Ben Wijnstekers, Jordy Clasie, Mark Koevermans Feyenoord Commercial Director and Feyenoord Head Coach Ronald Koeman with the Opel Kadett E GSi convertible and Opel Cascada convertible

Speaking at the official launch of the partnership at the De Kuip Stadium on Monday, Feyenoord commercial director Mark Koevermans said: “We are very excited to welcome Opel as our new Club sponsor. Opel has an extremely impressive pedigree and enjoys a long-serving and very successful partnership with our club. This is a partnership which is not simply about the Opel name being carried on our shirt. Opel will be extremely supportive and active in helping us develop our highly successful social, grass roots and community activities.”

Karl Howkins, Managing Director, Opel Netherlands, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Feyenoord. Our organizations have a proud history of co-operation and friendship for almost 30 years. “Our strong relationship and cultural similarities will enable us to deliver highly exciting and innovative joint initiatives during the term of our sponsorship. Both of us have exciting and ambitious plans – Feyenoord in the development of exciting young footballing talent, and Opel with plans for a market launch of 23 new car models and 13 new powertrains by 2016.”

Duncan Aldred, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales for Opel/Vauxhall Europe, said: “Feyenoord and Opel share many powerful common brand values and philosophies. We are both established and major players in the Dutch market and both organizations are planning exciting major new initiatives.”

As part of the sponsorship, Feyenoord executives, coaching staff and players will drive a fleet of Opel vehicles.

Head coach Ronald Koeman and coaches Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Jean-Paul van Gastel already drive Opel’s revolutionary electric, extended range Ampera.

Opel were club sponsors of Feyenoord from 1984-89, and official automotive suppliers to the club from 1984-2002 and 2010 onwards.

In 1970, Feyenoord was the first Dutch football club to win the European Cup and followed this in the same year with victory in the Intercontinental Cup to claim the world club crown.  Following their UEFA Cup victories in 1974 and 2002, the club remains the last Dutch club to earn European honours.  Formed in July 1908, the club has the distinction of being one of only four clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division and has won 14 national titles, 11 Dutch Cups and 2 Dutch Supercups. 

Feyenoord joins an Opel/Vauxhall European football portfolio which also includes partnerships with Borussia Dortmund, Fortuna Dusseldorf, Bayer Leverkusen, SC Freiburg and FSV Mainz (Germany) as well as all four Home Nations national teams in the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).