For over 50 years, the Energie Cottbus facility carried the name Friendship Stadium. However, that changed a few days ago when, during a charity Christmas market, the sale of naming rights to the stadium to the company LEAG was announced, one of the largest energy corporations in Germany, which has been supporting the club on various fronts for years.

Christmas "gift"

As a premium partner and jersey sponsor, LEAG invited fans for the first time under the theme "Lausitz sings with Energie." Nearly 5,000 team fans accepted the invitation and made the day an unforgettable experience. The name change to LEAG Energie Stadium was announced by the club president, Sebastian Lemke, and the board member of the company, Jörg Waniek. I know it's not that simple because the stadium has been called that for over 50 years, Lemke said, referring to the name change. We really thought a lot about it, Waniek explained.

The new name was met with only a few whistles and shouts of "Friendship Stadium" and did not stir too many emotions. LEAG does not disclose the amount it paid for the naming rights. It's certain, though, that the additional income will truly help the club, as the stadium owner, playing in the regional league, incurs high operating costs - million € annually. The new name will be valid at least until 2026. The president of Energie also assured of even closer cooperation with the LEAG company, but the next steps of both entities are unknown.

© Philip Schilf

Less than 100 years of history

LEAG Energie Stadium in Cottbus was opened in 1930 and has undergone several renovations over the years. Until 1950, the facility was known as the City Stadium, and later it was named the Friendship Stadium. Since 2011, it has been owned by Energie Cottbus. The stadium has hosted several international football matches organized by the German Football Association and the East Germany Football Association.

The first international match took place on April 21, 1976, between East Germany and Algeria and ended with a victory for East Germany 5:0. In 1989, the stadium was the first and last venue for the German Democratic Republic Super Cup match. In this competition, the champions of the GDR faced the winners of the GDR Cup. The match between BFC Dynamo and Dynamo Dresden was played in front of over 22,000 spectators and ended with a score of 4:1 in favor of BFC.

© Philip Schilf