Deutsche Telekom is well aware of its responsibility for the society in which it does its work. The company's commitment to the Telekom Baskets provides an example of successful location marketing.
Deutsche Telekom has supported the Telekom Baskets for several years now. "Deutsche Telekom feels a particular bond with the city and region in which it is based," says Stephan Althoff, Head of Corporate Sponsoring for the company. "In the city of Deutsche Telekom's headquarters we make an effort for our employees to offer them an attractive living environment."
The German Basketball League in the Telekom Dome
Deutsche Telekom began its partnership with the Telekom Baskets Bonn in 1993, since which time the team has become finalist in the German championship five times - most recently in the 2008/2009 season. Deutsche Telekom has also lent its name to the Telekom Dome basketball arena since 2008. One of the most modern basketball arenas in Germany, it was built with the support of Deutsche Telekom, the City of Bonn and a wide variety of other sources. The Telekom Dome provides space for 6,000 spectators and sets new standards in terms of its investor, operator and utilization concept. Aside from hosting top-level sporting events, it also provides a home for up-and-coming new athletes in the training center adjoining it. The basketball center is also used for sporting events, conventions and conferences.
Promoting young talent
A completely different type of basketball masterclass: with the "Baskets@school" project, Deutsche Telekom provides schools in and around Bonn with a unique type of training session. Deutsche Telekom's intention with the project, which was first launched in 2014, is to spread the passion for basketball out to the participating schools. School students are trained together with the professionals during the 90-minute training sessions. The sessions, led by trainers from the Telekom Baskets, are designed to provide participants with an initial feel for the sport. The trainers are supported by the German professional players, who complete the same training session together with the school students. The aim of Baskets@School is to get local students interested in basketball and to reinforce their team spirit.
The project Baskets@school starts the new season with a special unit for the young baseball players of Bonn Capitals. The president of the Bonn Capitals, Udo Schmitz, greeted the Baskets, who participated with the entire team. We are very happy that they are here today and play a round of baseball with us. Some players have already been our guests before, the president of the Capitals was pleased.
However, before the game started, the classic warm-up program was on the agenda. Throwing, catching and running. Opponent of the Baskets was the U15 team of the Capitals, which had just become German champion.
"We are used to dribbling with the big ball and always being on the move," said Yorman Polas Bartolo, who was happy to play the national sport of his home country Cuba in Germany as well. "It's not so easy to catch the small ball and to practice the right handling of the bat.
Although some Baskets players could show quite some baseball experience, they stood on lost post against the well-rehearsed Capitals. The big orange ball is somehow easier to catch.
The fun was clearly in the foreground this afternoon and the one or other Baskets player promised to come to one of the next games to visit. But first the Capitals will visit the Telekom Dome.
A clear victory of the Capitals against bravely defending Baskets, as it was to be expected. Baskets coach Thomas Päch was nevertheless satisfied with his team: They fought to the last second, the coach said with a wink.
After the baseball they went to the nearby sports hall of the Bonn International School to play basketball. Here the kids learned clever step sequences and throwing techniques from the professionals.
Ben Simons, the sharpshooter of the Baskets, taught the young baseball players how to throw. Inquisitive and with a lot of energy, the boys tried to implement the instructions of the professionals.
Primary school challenge and primary school league
In the 2018/19 season, the Baskets Primary School Challenge for second and third grade pupils took place for the second time! The overriding goal is to inspire primary school children in Bonn to play basketball and at the same time to promote their health through exercise and sporting activity.
After two successful seasons, the Baskets Primary School Challenge will start the third round of the 2019/20 season with some innovations. With the Challenge 3.0, Telekom Baskets Bonn is targeting first and second class students.
In 2019/20, the Baskets Primary School League will also be launched. The Baskets will establish their own league for primary school students in third and fourth grade in Bonn. The Primary School League and the Primary School Challenge are joint projects of Deutsche Telekom and Telekom Baskets Bonn in cooperation with the City of Bonn.
The children were given an official welcome to the event. Ashok Sridharan, Lord Mayor of the City of Bonn and Stephan Althoff, head of Sports Sponsorships at Deutsche Telekom, expressed their satisfaction at the enthusiasm of the children and the successful launch of the project.
Ashok Sridharan emphasized that the project is meant to provide a model for others: "As a sporting city, we are keen to encourage participation in sport. The "Primary school challenge" achieves that in an attractive, playful way. The children are really keen to get involved. And, as a welcome by-product, sport is a marvelous opportunity for boys and girls to reinforce their self-confidence and to develop as a person."
Yorman Polas Bartolo, TJ DiLeo, Max Schwamborn and Jordan Parks (from left to right) ran the training session like the professionals they are.
Yorman Polas Bartolo shows how it's done. This is how a basketball shot should be taken. The kids then did their best to follow his example.
The children's excitement for the sport of basketball can be seen on the group photo taken for the event. Several of Bonn's local media reported on this extra special basketball training session: WDR Lokalzeit (from 11:30 minutes on) and Bonn's local paper, the General-Anzeiger
Mayor Sridharan, head of Corporate Sponsoring Stephan Althoff, and Baskets Sports Manager Michael Wichterich welcome the elementary schoolers, teachers, and spectators to the Baskets Elementary School Challenge.
A major-league entrance. The elementary schoolers ran into the Telekom Dome through lines of the Telekom Dance Team.
Each team had four on-court players. The game time – four quarters of 4 minutes each – and slight adjustments to the regular rules were tailored to the elementary schoolers' abilities. All players had to have equal time, which meant favoring better players wasn't allowed. "Fairness is a basic principle of the Baskets Elementary School Challenge – toward teammates, opponents, coaches, and refs alike," says Stephan Althoff, head of Corporate Sponsoring.
Of course Bonni also made an appearance. High-fives with the Baskets' mascot motivated the kids even more.
Pupils from the "Om Berg" school triumphed in the end , winning the final against the "Marktschule" school.
The first-place finishers weren't the only ones to win prizes. The second- and third-place teams didn't go home empty-handed.
On the day of the final, each school nominated a boy or girl for the Master Skill Challenge. This involved testing six basketball skills, including dribbling, lay-ups, and passes. This gave the teams an opportunity to win extra points for the overall ranking.
TIX for Kids
Aside from that, Deutsche Telekom's Tix for Kids program gives Bonn school students the chance to watch a basketball game live and in person in the Telekom Dome. A draw decides who gets one of two sets of tickets (each for 30 students) for each of the team's home games.
Baskets JuniorsClub
With the support of Deutsche Telekom, all young people between the ages of 13 and 17 have the opportunity to experience great and exclusive activities around the baskets. With the Baskets JuniorsClub the youngsters are as close to the team as never before. Further information is available on the Internet at: www.baskets.de/juniorsclub (German) or via email: juniorsclub@telekom-baskets-bonn.de.
