On Wednesday, Erasmus Sport and Excelsior Football Club signed a new partnership agreement at Woudestein Stadium. The agreement constitutes the next step in the partnership between the two parties, which was established three years ago.
According to Jon de Ruijter, Managing Director of Erasmus Sport, the closer collaboration will present EUR students with new opportunities. One of the newly formulated priorities is making the club’s stadium more student-friendly. “As of this year, Woudestein Stadium has an official Erasmus grandstand. We want this to be a dedicated students’ grandstand.”
'A brilliant time'
De Ruijter is looking into new arrangements with Rotterdam cafés and restaurants, allowing students to have a cheap meal before attending a match. “Furthermore, there will be season ticket arrangements and caterers’ promotions, such as supplying meters of beer and cheap hot dogs. Students should have a brilliant time. We are mainly focusing on international students on the look-out for fun activities to do on the weekends.”
'A real die-hard'
In addition, more knowledge will be exchanged between the university and Excelsior from now on. “The idea is that students will be able to do their internship at Excelsior, or even their graduation project,” said De Ruijter. “And as of this season, there is a student scout, a real die-hard. If Excelsior remains in the Dutch Premier League, more student scouts may be appointed. There is a lot of interest in this. Students are very keen to apply their knowledge of science to football.”
Excelsior, too, stands to profit from the arrangement. “Who knows, we may just sign a contract with a player suggested by our student scout during the winter break,” stated Wouter Gudde, Excelsior’s Marketing Director. Moreover, the club’s close collaboration with Erasmus Sport will allow it to raise its profile among students. “Students are potential entrepreneurs as well as supporters,” said Gudde. “By getting them involved with us, we will help the entire club grow.”
The three-year partnership agreement between both parties already included food-and-drinks arrangements and agreements on using each other’s facilities. “This covenant was a means to dust off these agreements and further expand them,” De Ruijter explained.
For a video on the partnership agreement, click here.
