Welcome to paradise

FC Carl Zeiss Jena and the city of Jena have entered into a joint premium partnership for the 2019/2020 season. As a further step towards strengthening city marketing, the city and FCC will intensify their cooperation, especially in the online and social media sector, and at the same time formulate a common stance against violence.

FCC as an anchor of identity

Jena's Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche explains the city's commitment: "FC Carl Zeiss has been one of the strongest anchors of identity for people in our region for decades. With its long history, it is an indispensable part of the soul of our city. With our commitment, we are making a clear commitment to the future of soccer in Jena. At the same time, however, we also demand a clear stance against violence.

If we want to realize projects like the new stadium together, we need a broad acceptance of the citizens of Jena for this project and a culture of partnership at eye level. Open, constructive and solution-oriented. Our project team led by Martin Berger and Dirk Lange has achieved a great deal in this respect in recent years. We would like to continue along this path with this cooperation and further optimize it."

Violence never creates role models

Head of Sports and Public Order Benjamin Koppe adds: "We want images and stories that tell of the incredible passion of soccer and its fans in Jena's paradise. Only if we succeed in doing this will our common path be successful. And only if people want to come to FCC matches in Paradise will the club have a sporting and economic future. Jena is and will remain a family-friendly city that condemns violence in any form. Violence produces images, but violence never creates role models. This applies not only, but above all, in connection with soccer. The club, team and fans must be equally aware of their role model function and the responsibility that arises from this and live up to it. On and off the pitch as well as on social networks. With this in mind, we look to the future and hope for a successful 2019/2020 season."

Dr. Thomas Nitzsche adds: "Welcome to Paradise. stands for a positive welcoming culture, which has been exemplified for many years in Jena and by large parts of the FCC fans. A cosmopolitan, international university city and the surrounding region also need this feeling in the future. Because only if people want to keep coming to Jena and stay here can we have a future as a science and business location."

The most important ambassador for his city

Chris Förster, Managing Director of FC Carl Zeiss Jena: "We are delighted with the city's commitment to its soccer club. It proves that the foundation that has grown over the last few years through many discussions, constructive dialog and good cooperation is now being built on and expanded. Especially with our colleagues at Kommunale Immobilien Jena (KIJ), led by Karl Kliewe and Thomas Graf, we have found a very close and solution-oriented way of working together on stadium operations and match days.

The FCC has been one of the most important ambassadors of its city for decades and has now finally been traveling throughout Germany again for two years together with its many fans. We are delighted that we can use the wide media reach of FC Carl Zeiss Jena to show people outside of Jena that, despite all the enthusiasm for sport, Jena is much more than just soccer and is certainly always worth a visit. We are aware of our responsibility as ambassadors for our home town and are delighted to be able to extend the 'visit jena' invitation throughout Germany. We know how much Jena companies want to attract new employees from all over Germany and the importance of so-called soft location factors. And in addition to culture, a diverse and interesting range of leisure activities certainly includes sport in general, such as soccer and FC Carl Zeiss Jena in particular."

150 million TV viewers reached

"FC Carl Zeiss Jena and Jenaer Paradies are two strong brands in our city. We want to use their significance and high emotionality to communicate our shared enthusiasm for Jena as a city and region worth living in. With its large, widespread fan community and wide-reaching communication channels, the FCC offers great opportunities for Jena's city marketing. Almost 70,000 fans on the FCC's various social media channels and around 150 million TV viewers at the FCC's matches last season speak for themselves," says Carsten Müller, who is responsible for marketing and sponsorship at JenaKultur and will support the implementation of the cooperation.