Global sports marketing expert Two Circles has announced the next stage of its international expansion, with a new move into Germany. This latest development aims to revolutionize the landscape for rights owners and brands in the country, both for German-based organisations looking to grow globally and for international organisations looking to activate in the region.
The new Cologne-based office will serve as a hub of fan-first innovation and excellence, assembling a team of dedicated experts with decades of experience in delivering world-class results through premium strategic services for global brands and rights owners.
The expansion sees the appointment of 20 senior consultants with extensive national and international expertise in working with brands and rights holders such as P&G, Henkel, Nestlé, BMW, Zurich Insurance, Julius Baer, FIFA, Formula 1 and Formula E.
The new team is led by experienced marketing expert Lars Stegelmann, whose experience in sports, media, and entertainment business spans several roles, including Nielsen Sports, Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team, Formula E, FIFA and UEFA, and strategy consultants and data specialists Sebastian Kurczynski and Dr Jan Dreisbach. They will be supported by existing Two Circlers, Kristian Gotsch, Managing Director EMEA at Two Circles, and Bettina Baer, Client Service Director.
The Cologne office is the latest milestone in Two Circles’ global expansion, marking its ninth office worldwide, with locations across Europe, North America, and Australia.
Gareth Balch, Co-founder & CEO of Two Circles, explained: “Germany is a country full of passionate sports fans, where a more personalised, data-driven approach can unlock greater returns. We want to help make that happen and welcoming our new Two Circlers will enhance our ability to continue supporting global rights owners in growing and engaging with fans across Germany.
“Our expansion here is a testament to our strong growth ambitions, and we are far from done.”
Kristian Gotsch, Managing Director, EMEA at Two Circles, commented: “We’ve been working in Germany for some time now, building brilliant relationships and delivering exceptional results. But with our new team on the ground, we’re taking our approach to a whole new level. We are not just opening an office to be another agency in the market, we’re here to change the game.”
Lars Stegelmann, Director, Two Circles, said: “The opportunity for growth in Germany is immense. Not only are we supporting fantastic German organisations domestically, but we’re also leveraging Two Circles’ global expertise to grow audiences and value on an international scale. I’m thrilled to be joining a team of experts who have a proven track record with leading rights owners and brands, and I’m excited to bring our unique proposition to the German market.”
Founded in 2011 as a market leader in data-driven sports, Two Circles knows fans best by connecting the 1.2bn data records analysed every year and the 400m sports fans it speaks to every day on behalf of clients. Two Circles will continue to grow the value of sports for brands and rights owners alike, delivering long-term, transformative partnerships with the likes of Wimbledon, Premier League, DFB, UEFA, Juventus Turin, Ryder Cup, Paris 2024, EA SPORTS, F1 and World Rugby.
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Two Circles in Germany grows and engages audiences for the world’s leading rights owners and brands through three core offerings:
Full-Scope Partnership Marketing for Brands: A comprehensive suite of partnership marketing services tailored for brands. From partnership strategy, concept creation, activation, to precise measurement, our audience-centric approach – grounded in unparalleled fan insights – enabling brands to make effective partnership decisions.
Commercial Growth for Rights Owners: For rights owners in the DACH region and global entities targeting growth in this market, Two Circles offers a strategic approach that enhances audience engagement and drives commercial value through both direct-to-consumer (D2C) and business-to-business (B2B) revenue streams.
Events – Bid to Win, Host, Measure: Two Circles’ supports the full event lifecycle, from strategy and bidding to hosting and delivering on commercial targets, audience occupancy, and fan experience. Two Circles’ data-driven insights allow the team to forecast and evaluate impact, ensuring every event reaches its full potential.
About Two Circles
Two Circles is a sports & entertainment specialist agency that uses data to grow direct relationships between sports, entertainment and fans, to drive commercial growth for the world’s leading sports & entertainment properties. How do we know fans best? Our data insights are unparalleled. Each year, we generate 146 billion social engagements and analyze 1.2 billion fan data records, while our fan marketing campaigns reach 950 million fans annually, giving us a unique insight into their behaviors and preferences.
From nine international offices (Bern, Cologne, Kansas City, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Miami, New York, Paris), Two Circles specialises in long-term, transformational partnerships, including work with the likes of Ryder Cup, UEFA, Paris 24, Wimbledon, Premier League, EA SPORTS, F1 and World Rugby.
