Lent.az
Austrian club "Hartberg" has set a new record in professional football by showcasing a jersey featuring 23 sponsors.
According to Lent.az, citing foreign media, "Hartberg" has been setting new records for the number of advertising logos on its jersey for several years, consistently increasing their number each season. This model has allowed the club from the city of the same name, with a population of only six thousand people, to attract enough funding to go from the Austrian third division in the 2016/17 season to qualify for the Europa League in the 2020/21 season.
The main sponsor of "Hartberg" is the Austrian pharmaceutical company Lenus Pharma, which advertises Profertil, a drug that improves sperm quality, on its jersey. This brand has also given its name to the club's home stadium, the Profertil Arena.
On social networks, fans joke that the club's jersey has turned into an advertising billboard, and some even mock the work of the club's commercial department, because "there is still empty space on the shirt."
Despite the numerous jokes about "Hartberg," the club's management emphasizes that this approach is a necessary measure for a small club with a limited budget.
Last season, "Hartberg" finished eighth in the Austrian championship.
