While the thousands of fans in the stands of the Euroborg fuel themselves with beer and FEBO krokets, a completely different matchday ritual takes place behind the glass of the sponsor lounges. Football is the ultimate networking event for the regional economy, and page 16 of the November 2014 matchday programme offers a delicious glimpse into how local B2B relationships were nurtured.
Nestled among ads for plasterers and car washes is a vibrant advertisement for Visser Zoetwaren, a wholesale confectioner based in the nearby city of Assen. They aren’t selling candy to kids; they are targeting the CEOs and business owners reading the magazine in the VIP boxes. The ad promotes “relatiegeschenken” (corporate gifts), specifically highlighting custom-branded chocolates and wine bottles.
The genius of this advertisement lies in its visual pitch. To prove their capability, Visser Zoetwaren showcases square chocolate bonbons perfectly printed with the green-and-white FC Groningen crest. It is a brilliant piece of meta-marketing: advertising promotional material inside a piece of promotional material. For a local roofing contractor or IT firm hosting clients at the match, handing out high-quality chocolates bearing their own company logo—or the club’s crest—with a half-time cup of coffee was the ultimate subtle flex of corporate hospitality.
A Look into the Future
By 2026, the landscape of corporate hospitality has become heavily digitized. Sponsors now receive digital VIP passes, engage with the club through exclusive B2B networking apps, and often invest in digital LED board minutes rather than physical gifts. However, the tactile, old-school charm of a physical “relatiegeschenk” has never truly lost its power. While the marketing budgets may have shifted to the digital realm, the simple act of closing a local business deal over a custom-branded piece of chocolate in the Euroborg lounges remains a timeless tradition of the northern Dutch business culture.