The new equipment will be used for the first time at the Women’s 19 and Women’s 17 EHF EURO events in Romania and Montenegro in summer 2023.
BENZ Sport is a manufacturer of high-quality sports and gymnastic equipment and was established in 1907. The goals will be manufactured in the BENZ Sport factory in Winnenden, near Stuttgart, Germany.
Their top-of-the-range BLACKLINE handball goal will be seen across the national team events, while a new product for the EHF’s wheelchair handball events will be developed.
The company will receive logo integration on goals and media backdrops at top events as well as advertising on EHF digital channels plus direct marketing opportunities to thousands of clubs and member federations through email marketing.
A key element of the new agreement is innovation, with the EHF to make full use of BENZ Sports’ extensive technical expertise in the development of goals for use in top-class professional handball. As part of the cooperation BENZ Sport and the EHF will look at the introduction of new ideas for EHF’s top events including the integration of new and existing technologies into goals, as well as new camera angles and other concepts.
The partnership will also benefit handball’s national federations with a number of goals to be donated after each event as part of the EHF’s development efforts.
Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General, said: “We are delighted to welcome BENZ Sport to the EHF family. BENZ Sport and its staff have a huge passion for handball and this has made the development of this new goal partnership a real pleasure.
“Our cooperation with BENZ Sport guarantees not only the best equipment on the market for the EHF’s top events but also an exceptional level of technical expertise as we look to further develop and enhance the game at a professional level.”
Clemens Winkler, Managing Director of BENZ Sport, said: “As an innovative manufacturer of gymnastics and sports equipment, we look forward to the partnership with the EHF. Together we will promote and further develop handball. We are proud that in the future we will be bringing our BLACKLINE goals into arenas throughout Europe.”
The agreement between BENZ Sport and the EHF was signed at the Men’s EHF EURO 2024 Final Tournament Draw in Düsseldorf on 10 May.
Photo © Kenny Beele / DHB: Michael Wiederer, EHF President; Clemens Winkler, Managing Director, BENZ Sport; Florian Bovie, Head of Partnership Development, BENZ Sport; Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General