Brose Bamberg is the official image bearer of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region

On October 15, 2018, almost 6,000 spectators at the home match against MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg saw Brose Bamberg receive an award, which until then had never been part of the club’s success story – the title, “Spitzensport Metropolregion Nürnberg” (Top-Class Sport, Metropolitan Region Nuremberg).

The President of the Metropolitan Region Council, Mayor Andreas Starke and Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst, Chairman of the Metropolitan Region’s Economic Management presented the award to the club’s management before the game started. “We are delighted that the Metropolitan Region has made us the first sports organization ever to be honored with the ‘Spitzensport Metropolregion Nürnberg’. This is a tangible appreciation of all the work that we have invested in the Metropolitan Region in recent years. We enjoy being ambassadors for the Metropolitan Region concept, it helps both sides,” says Rolf Beyer, Managing Director of the Bamberger Basketball GmbH, commenting on the award.

“This award will help us to continue strengthening cohesion in the Metropolitan Region,” says Andreas Starke. “Promoting sport is a great thing… and the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region is on board! Brose Bamberg has officially received this ‘Spitzensport Metropolregion Nürnberg’ award for two main reasons: the successful Brose Bamberg team is an ambassador for the city of Bamberg, and it’s also an important flagship that showcases the entire Metropolitan Region. We will be presenting this award to other outstanding top-class sports clubs and events in the coming weeks and months.”

Eight other clubs and events are eligible for the “Spitzensport” award: these include the 1. FC Nürnberg, the Nürnberg Ice Tigers, Medi Bayreuth, HC Erlangen Metropolregion Nürnberg, SpVgg Greuther Fürth and sporting events with international appeal, such as the Norisring Nürnberg, Nürnberger Versicherungscup and the DATEV Challenge Roth. The Sports Forum of the Metropolitan Region based its award selection on four criteria: 1. More than 3,000 spectators must regularly be present at the games. 2. The catchment area of the spectators must extend beyond the Metropolitan Region. 3. The media impact must be on a national or international scale and 4. The club must be anchored in at least the 2nd division.

The background here is that the achievements of top-class sport create a positive image for the region, and the Metropolitan Region brand is also conveyed to other regions thanks to the wide-ranging impact of top-class sporting events – so the winners of the “Spitzensport Metropolregion” award effectively act as ambassadors for the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region. The clubs also benefit from the visibility gained by the Metropolitan Region and from the associated networking, which includes PR and marketing activities throughout the region.

Municipal representatives had already spoken out in favor of closer cooperation with top-class sport in the region at the 32nd Council meeting of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region on July 20, 2018, during which a memorandum on top-level sport was put forward and adopted. Regional commitment to the top sports clubs and event organizers in the region will now be brought to vibrant life. Besides the awards, a regular round table with club leaders and sports event organizers is planned, aimed at defining common goals, activities and visions.

About the Metropolitan Region Nuremberg:

The Metropolitan Region Nuremberg consists of 23 administrative districts and 11 independent cities – from the Thuringian county of Sonneberg in the north to the county of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen in the south, and from the county of Kitzingen in the west to the county of Tirschenreuth in the east. 3.5 million inhabitants generate a gross domestic product of 134 billion euros annually – roughly equivalent to the economic strength of Hungary. One major strength of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region is its polycentric structure, in which a tight network of more centers and strong counties spans the densely populated city axis of Nuremberg, Fuerth, Erlangen and Schwabach. This enables the region to offer all the opportunities of a metropolis – but without the negative effects of a megacity. Affordable housing, a functioning transport infrastructure and a low crime rate make the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region extremely attractive for skilled workers and their families.