Raphael Brinkert joins the S04 women’s team as a sleeve sponsor. The marketing expert announced this himself.

Raphael Brinkert joins FC Schalke 04 as a sponsor. The marketing expert announced this himself via the “X” platform.

“Everyone is talking about women’s soccer. We are promoting it. @brinkertlueck is now an official partner of @S04Frauen,” said Brinkert, who was born in Haltern am See. Below was a picture with the caption ”New sleeve partner of the S04 women’s team.”

However, the sponsorship of the S04 women’s team is likely to be more of a symbolic gesture and a modest sum that will now benefit the Royal Blues. That alone would certainly not have caused much of a stir among most Schalke fans. If, that is, it weren’t for Raphael Brinkert.

Brinkert has repeatedly been linked with S04

In this respect, his move to the miners is more of a symbolic gesture. After all, Brinkert is not just any sponsor. The Hamburg-based Schalke fan has been linked with S04 again in recent years. There had also been speculation that he could take over as CEO of the second division club.

However, Matthias Tillmann has since been presented as the new CEO of S04. The current CEO of the internet hotel comparison portal trivago will move to Emscher on January 1, 2024. Most recently, there had also been speculation that Brinkert could take on a role at the club if Clemens Tönnies makes a planned comeback. However, these are nothing more than rumors at this stage.

The fact is that Brinkert initiated the “Zukunftself” project in 2001 – a kind of expert council consisting of former players, sponsors, long-time fans, and members of the club who wanted to make certain recommendations for action to S04 during its realignment after Clemens Tönnies. However, the project has since been dissolved.

So now, at least, he is getting started as a minor sponsor for the S04 women’s team. Schalke recently announced that the employer comparison platform kununu will be featured on the jerseys of the S04 women’s and junior women’s teams, on training kits, and as a banner on the Schalke club grounds until June 30, 2025.