New blue and white sponsor: return coach for LASK?

LASK pulls off a marketing coup. That’s what it said in March when it was announced that “Voestalpine” would be joining the LASK Academy as a sponsor. A deal that made waves in football Linz – arch-rival FC Blau-Weiß Linz had been known as the “Voest Club” for many years.

Six months later, there could now have been a comeback for the black and whites: city rivals Blau-Weiß Linz presented a new, strong partner in “Gasteiner” this Thursday. Which is strange because: The mineral water from western Austria is entirely owned by the food manufacturer “Spitz” – a long-time jersey sponsor of LASK.

Only recently, the fans of the Black and Whites performed a choreography at the home game in the Europa League against Liverpool: a traditional LASK jersey, which was prepared across the entire home sector, was still adorned with the “Spitz” logo.

Now its offshoot “Gasteiner” will be visible on the blue and white pants from the upcoming home game against Austria Klagenfurt (Saturday, 5 p.m.).

“We are pleased to have a strong new partner on board with S. Spitz GmbH and the Gasteiner Mineralwasser brand. Gasteiner is one of the most popular and well-known Austrian mineral water brands and is a huge asset for the club. At this point I would like to thank the two managing directors Walter Scherb and Thomas Redl for the good discussions. As a platinum partner, Gasteiner will continue to decorate the jersey shorts and drinks bottles of the professionals in the future. With strong partners like S. Spitz GmbH and the power of Gasteiner Mineralwasser, we want to take the next steps in the development and professionalization of the club together and confirm the growth strategy we have chosen,” says Christoph Peschek, Managing Director of FC Blau-Weiß Linz.

“I’m a passionate fan of the club”

But Peschek doesn’t want to know anything about a return coach for the “Voestalpine” deal: “We don’t want to deal with LASK, every club has to look after itself.”

Walter Scherb, Managing Director of S. Spitz GmbH, is also pleased: “Gasteiner Mineralwasser and FC Blau-Weiß Linz complement each other perfectly. We are clearly the mineral water for active, health-conscious and ambitious people full of energy. A sufficient supply of fluids is essential, especially in high-performance sports. The Gasteiner brand and FC Blau-Weiß Linz also share important core values: team spirit, motivation and the strong will to win. The club sees itself as a big family consisting of fans, players, employees and all partners. In this family, togetherness is the focus. As a Gasteiner team, we also know that good results can only be achieved together, never alone. Personally, I have roots here in Linz and am a passionate fan of the club. It is therefore a particular pleasure for me to support FC Blau-Weiß Linz with the Gasteiner brand. I’m looking forward to numerous exciting games and a successful, joint cooperation.”