In its 100th anniversary year, the stadium is once again called "Stadion am Bieberer Berg"
01.03.2021 – Thanks to the support of Sparkasse Offenbach, Energieversorgung Offenbach (EVO), Stadtwerke Offenbach and Gemeinnützige Baugesellschaft Offenbach (GBO), it is possible to return the stadium to its original name in the centenary year of its existence.
There has been a stadium on Bieberer Berg since May 21, 1921. For almost 90 years, the home ground of Kickers Offenbach was known as the "Stadion am Bieberer Berg" and hosted various major events. The name is closely associated with the OFC, its sporting successes and its passionate fan culture. The "Bersch", as the home of Offenbach's soccer history, is still an integral part of the city's and sporting history.
Namesake enables modern gaming & event operations
In 2011, the traditional but already outdated stadium was replaced by a new building on the same site. To ensure the economic viability of the new and modern venue, a name was needed. The operating company SBB found a reliable partner in Sparda-Bank-Hessen eG, which acquired the naming rights in 2009 and held them until December 31, 2020. Over the course of the ten-year partnership, the new building proved to make sense, particularly due to the new marketing potential in the event sector.
Various major events, such as the DEL winter derby in December 2019 or the Christmas carol singing in front of 17,000 spectators, would hardly have been possible in the "old" stadium due to today's safety requirements. The standard of the newly built stadium attracted international rugby matches to the stadium on Bieber's heights, in addition to women's and U international matches of the DFB selection.
Strong partnership supports SBB projects
As it is currently difficult to find a new long-term name sponsor due to the coronavirus pandemic, EVO, Sparkasse Offenbach, Stadtwerke Offenbach and GBO are now entering into a special partnership under the motto: "We stand for Offenbach". Together, they are reviving the name "Stadion am Bieberer Berg" for this year and giving it back to Offenbach's iconic stadium and the people of Offenbach in its anniversary year.
Now that the naming rights of Sparda-Bank-Hessen eG have expired, the SBB team is delighted to have found strong partners who will give the stadium back its traditional name in its anniversary year and thus also set an example for the location. "Especially in times like these, it is important to have supporters at your side. Without the commitment of EVO, Sparkasse Offenbach, Stadtwerke Offenbach and GBO, it would not have been possible to implement this project," summarizes SBB Managing Director Andreas Herzog.
New logo picks up on the simple shape of the stadium
From today, both the perimeter boards on the pitch and the advertising boards on the outer facade and above the entrances to the stadium will be replaced. In conjunction with the renaming of the stadium, it will also be given a new logo.
This simply picks up on the structural shape of the stadium, which is strikingly different from many other stadiums or soccer arenas with its four stands and attic. The dominant color is gray, which assigns the stadium to the Stadtwerke events division. In addition, the new logo with a red accent creates a colorful connection to the OFC.
"We deliberately chose emotionally recognizable symbols in the logo that create a connection to the elements that are important to the fans," explains SBB CEO Andreas Herzog. "It was important to us to pick up on the four grandstand design as well as the Kickers' club colors so that the fans' sporting living room is authentically reflected in the logo."
March 2, 2021