Soccer club's stadium gets boost from insurer Allianz

Austrian soccer club SK Rapid Wien has opened its 2016-17 campaign under the benevolent embrace of Munich-based insurer Allianz S.E.

Specifically, SK Rapid's home stadium in Vienna is sponsored by Allianz Austria, which has secured naming rights for Allianz Stadion until 2026, according to an Allianz news release.

The 28,000-capacity stadium features a striking tube-shaped entryway design and a “neighborhood protection concept to reduce noise and light emission,” the release said.

The stadium sold out for the club's recent inaugural 2-0 win over Chelsea FC.

“There is a strong emotional aspect to be the naming right partner of a sport stadium — especially for a nontangible brand like Allianz”, said Oliver Kraus, global sponsoring manager at Allianz, in the release. “With every stadium, we've been paying particular attention to safety, sustainability and design.”

Allianz clearly gets a kick out of sports sponsorships, holding the naming rights of six stadiums in London, Munich, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Vienna, and Nice, France.