Published on September 3rd, 2026
Location: Germany
Partnership Extended: BVB to Rely on adesso’s AI and IT Expertise Until 2030
Dortmund, 3 September 2026 – adesso and Borussia Dortmund are extending their successful partnership for a further four years until the end of June 2030. The IT service provider is expanding its existing partnership as the Bundesliga football club’s digitalisation partner and will in future act as BVB’s Digital Excellence and AI Performance Partner. This partnership has been brokered by SPORTFIVE.
The focus going forward will be on further developing BVB’s digital services to the highest standard, as well as advising and supporting the club in the use and further development of artificial intelligence (AI). The shared aim is to position BVB as a leading digital club both on and off the pitch, from which fans, members, partners and staff alike will benefit. To this end, adesso is drawing on the industry expertise of its Sports division, which has already delivered more than 300 projects for clubs, associations and the sports industry. This is complemented by engineering, process and technology expertise from adesso’s other specialist areas, along with responsibility for implementation, to ensure that innovative software solutions and AI are put to productive use in the Bundesliga. Furthermore, adesso remains the club’s Champion Partner and main youth sponsor.
Six Years of Successful Partnership
adesso and Borussia Dortmund have been working together since the 2019/2020 season. Over the past six years, this has included the creation of a joint Sports Data Hub, which brings together data from the fields of sports science, medicine and match analysis for data-driven scouting and player monitoring. adesso also supported BVB in the roll-out of a new ERP system, the Salesforce-based single sign-on and the implementation of a supplier portal. Together, they developed a holistic system architecture with an integrating software layer to ensure seamless communication between applications and databases. For the relaunch of the bvb.de website in 2024, the German Design Council honoured the joint ‘BVB ClubHub’ project twice with the German Brand Award 2025: with gold in the ‘Brand Communication – User Experience’ category and as the winner in the ‘Brand Experience of the Year’ category.
Artificial Intelligence at the Heart of the New Contract Period
From adesso’s perspective, two aspects in particular will shape the collaboration: providing strategic advice to BVB on the expansion of its digital platforms and introducing further solutions from adesso’s development portfolio. These include, amongst other things, the continued development of the holistic data strategy as well as new AI-powered fan services on bvb.de. Looking ahead, adesso will support BVB in creating innovative health services for the BVB Health World.
Carsten Cramer, Spokesman for the Management Board of Borussia Dortmund, says: “Along with adesso, we have created pioneering digital solutions for BVB over the past few years. From the sporting side of the club right through to the commercial departments, we benefit from adesso’s innovations and technological expertise. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership and shaping BVB’s digital future together.”
“Joint projects, shared responsibility, a shared vision for digital excellence – from the very beginning, our collaboration has been more than just traditional sponsorship. And we will continue this in future with a focus on artificial intelligence,” says Prof. Dr Volker Gruhn, founder and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adesso SE. “Just as in business, AI will increasingly determine who comes out on top in professional football. And I am convinced that the technology will only create real added value once it has become part of everyday practice. As the future AI Performance Partner, it is our aim to achieve precisely that together with BVB.”
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About SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that delivers customer-centric solutions based on trust and transparency, deep industry experience and global relationships, digital intelligence and innovation. SPORTFIVE strategically and creatively connects brands, rightsholders, media platforms and fans to create and enable contemporary partnerships in sports.
While creating and growing long-term value for all, SPORTFIVE often leads the sports business into the future through innovative digital solutions and strives to be the most progressive and respected partner in sports.
Being at the centre of professional sport SPORTFIVE will use its unique position, in order to make a positive contribution to sustainability and to live up to the social and economic duty and responsibility, which sport and consequently all parties involved, also have. SPORTFIVE operates with a global mindset and network of over 1,200 local experts based in 15 countries around the world, active in Football, Golf, Handball, Motorsport, Esports, Cricket, Tennis, American Football, Basketball, Hockey, Rugby, Olympics and Multi-Sport Events, Wintersports and many more.
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About adesso
adesso is one of the leading IT service providers in the German-speaking area and focuses its consulting and software development activities on the core business processes of companies and public authorities. adesso’s strategy is based on three pillars: the comprehensive industry-specific know-how of its staff, extensive expertise in technology that is independent of manufacturers and the application of reliable methods in software implementation projects. adesso delivers the right IT solutions to increase the ability of companies and organisations to compete in the core sectors of insurance/reinsurance, banking and financial services, healthcare and life sciences, energy supply, public administration, automotive and manufacturing industry, trade, transport, media, entertainment, lottery and sports.
adesso was founded in Dortmund in 1997 and currently employs around 11,500 people in the adesso Group (converted to full-time equivalents/FTE), which corresponds to more than 12,200 employees in terms of headcount. adesso’s shares are listed on the Prime Standard. Customers in Germany include Commerzbank, BayernLB, Munich Re, Provinzial, Bitmarck, amedes, RWE, E.ON, Mercedes-Benz, thyssenkrupp, Bosch, Otto, Markant, Borussia Dortmund, the Deutsche Fußball Liga, the Westdeutsche Lotterie, the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Ministry of Finance. In addition, there are numerous international customers, including Swisscom, AXA Switzerland, Alpitour, the Austrian Football Bundesliga and Swiss Federal Railways.
Press contacts
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Mara Kottke
Senior Manager Marketing Communications
mara.kottke@sportfive.com
