It's going to be glamorous in Frankfurt's Festhalle: Frankfurt's "Guud Stubb" will be the venue for the German Sports Aid Foundation's "Ball des Sports" from 2023 to 2027. This means that Europe's largest sports charity event will return to the city that hosted the first edition of the event in 1970 - at that time in the Jahrhunderthalle in Höchst. The ball was last held in Frankfurt between 2002 and 2006. Even then, dances were held in the Festhalle. Thomas Berlemann, chairman of the board of Deutsche Sporthilfe, head of the sports department Mike Josef and Jens-Uwe Münker, head of the sports department of the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sports, announced the return of the ball to Frankfurt at a press conference on Wednesday.
Thomas Berlemann said, "The tender for the future organization of the Ball of Sports has met with very great interest nationwide, as evidenced by the high number of applications. And it also shows the importance of Europe's largest benefit event in sports not only for Deutsche Sporthilfe and the athletes it supports, but also for politics and business. The city of Frankfurt convinced us, among other things, with a coherent overall concept and the prospect of also anchoring the ball sustainably in the population of this sports-loving city."
"Our concept is primarily aimed at ensuring that the ball has a sustainable focus and is embedded in a supporting program with clubs and the urban community. A great many partners have contributed to this, and I would like to thank them all for their commitment," adds Councillor Josef. "The Ball of Sports fits very well with the diverse sports city of Frankfurt, makes it richer with this attractive sports social event and strengthens it."
Münker says: "Frankfurt has the ideal infrastructure to showcase the work of Deutsche Sporthilfe and the achievements of our athletes in the best possible way. As the Hessian Ministry of Sports, we see ourselves as team players and thus it was and is a matter of course that we have worked hard with the Main metropolis to ensure that the top event returns to its birthplace. The ball of the sport is in the best hands in the sport country Hessen!"
"The sport can rely since 1949 on the means of Lotto Hessen. We are also linked with Deutsche Sporthilfe by the joint development of the German Sports Lottery to promote top-level sport in Germany. I am also personally very pleased that it has now been possible to continue to hold the biggest sponsorship ball here, also thanks to our pledge of support for a Hessian location. Frankfurt will be a perfect new location for the so important fundraising work for our athletes", explains Heinz-Georg Sundermann, Managing Director Lotto Hessen.
"After a long break, the Ball of Sports is coming home, to our time-honored Festhalle - a stylish venue for a stylish event. Everyone at Messe Frankfurt is delighted with this decision - from the various service units to our catering subsidiary Accente. We will do our best to ensure a successful, glittering celebration," says Uwe Behm, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt.
This year, however, the ball will once again be held in the state capital Wiesbaden. Wiesbaden has already been the host city in previous years and will host the 51st Ball des Sports on Saturday, July 16, at the RheinMain CongressCenter there.
