“Eintracht Frankfurt have developed into a beacon for the region in recent years and offers an appealing range of sports for people of all backgrounds,” said club president Mathias Beck. “The fact that we’re now ranked number one worldwide is sensational.”
Eintracht Frankfurt were not only ranked above Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund but other top international clubs too. “We don’t want to rest on our laurels, but keep on growing,” added Beck. “There’s still a lot of potential as far as active sports are concerned. In children’s gymnastics, for instance, we have waiting lists of over 1,500 kids, which is unsustainable. It’s our clear responsibility to offer every child the opportunity to exercise in the future.”
In order to expand the range of sports on offer in all performance and age categories, an expansion of Eintracht’s sports facility capacity is a top priority. The underground floor of the facility in Nied – Eintracht’s headquarters in the west of the city – has been refurbished in recent months and is due to be completed soon. A padel facility is currently under construction in Sindlingen, and a bobsleigh push track is due to follow later this year in Niederrad. Beck is already planning further investment, though, focusing in particular on indoor centres. “We want to focus even more thoroughly on our own sports facilities in future and are prepared to invest in that area,” he said. “We want to give all athletes a home. It doesn’t matter whether they are beginners or professionals, young or old – everyone should be able to take part in sport with the eagle on their chest.”
Certification boosts appeal
The official certification also increases the club’s appeal in terms of attracting sponsorship and donations. “You’re not only able to play professional football here with us, but other sports too,” said Beck. “We want to try and get more people from Frankfurt involved in elite-level sports. Only with a broad foundation can we continue to develop at elite level.”
The objective of the study was to test the validity of the statement: “Eintracht Frankfurt are the world’s largest multi-sports club with a professional football team.” The 14,000 or so athletes competing in over 50 different sports under the Eintracht umbrella proved decisive.
