Against former main sponsor

Austria Klagenfurt prepares to sue for millions

Can empty! "28 Black" probably played a nasty game with Austria Klagenfurt's partner Zeljko Karajica (right) and Co.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Gepa Pictures)

A nasty game was probably played with Austria Klagenfurt. The former main sponsor said goodbye and stopped making payments - Rostock also experienced something similar. Austria boss Zeljko Karajica explains everything in an interview with the "Krone". It is also clear how things will continue with the training guest.  

Austria Klagenfurt and the search for a main sponsor. A tiresome topic. But a nasty game was probably being played with the Violets. . .

Claudio Trevisan, head of sport at the "Kärntner Krone", sheds light on the local soccer scene.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

It all started in 2022 with the announcement of the collaboration with "28 Black". The team from Waidmannsdorf signed a three-year contract with the energy drink manufacturer from Luxembourg - which also included breast sponsorship. There was also a deal with the city and the Wörthersee Stadium regarding the naming rights.

Shareholder Zeljko Karajica (right) with Klagenfurt sporting director Günther Gorenzel

(Bild: Kuess Josef/Kuess)

And then it turned Klagenfurt's shareholder Zeljko Karajica's stomach. "28 Black simply stopped making payments in the middle of the first season." Obviously without any justification. "To this day, there is no document stating that we didn't provide our services," explains the violet "big boss", whose club even finished the championship with "28 Black" on the jersey. "Otherwise we would have had to take the shirts out of the fan range, which would have resulted in additional costs and no income," emphasizes Karajica.

According to Karajica, the deal negotiated with the canned goods company would have brought in "a seven-figure euro amount" over the entire term - in short: it was about millions.

Which, of course, hurts the club, which is not financially well-off anyway. "You plan with the money. The main sponsorship is the most expensive and most important package. As a company, you are represented everywhere - jersey, LED boards, banners, homepage and so on," explains Karajica.

The boss doesn't want to put up with this now: "We're currently preparing to take legal action against it. That's how we want to get back the lost revenue."

Dropped out due to fan riots
Curious: "28 Black" also left Hansa Rostock prematurely. "Due to repeated fan riots and the corresponding media coverage", the company announced. Only to join Rapid a few months after the Vienna derby scandal, including the homophobic chants. .

Main sponsor search underway
And what about the search for a main sponsor for Austria? Karajica: "I'm optimistic that we'll present something before Christmas!" 

No commitment
In sporting terms? Training guest Denzel Owusu will not be signed. "It's very unlikely, as we are very well-staffed in this position in midfield," says sporting director Günther Gorenzel.