Kempa x HC LINZ AG: Contract Extension – Anniversary Partnership on the Road to 25 Years

Linz/Balingen, March 19, 2026 – The handball brand Kempa and HC LINZ AG are extending their successful collaboration.

The Austrian traditional club will continue to rely on Kempa for team and match equipment – further strengthening a partnership that stands out in professional sports for its exceptional longevity: HCL has been wearing Kempa since 2003. During the new contract period, the partners will celebrate their 25-year anniversary together – a unique symbol of continuity and trust.

Bernhard Ditachmair, President of HC LINZ AG, emphasizes the importance of the extension:
“HC LINZ AG is delighted to extend its successful partnership with its long-standing supplier Kempa. Since the beginning of our collaboration in 2003, we have shared a relationship based on trust and reliability that goes far beyond a traditional supplier agreement.
Over more than two decades of working together, Kempa has consistently supported our club with the highest quality, innovative strength, and a deep understanding of handball. This level of continuity is by no means a given in professional sports and is of great importance to us.
The extension is a clear sign of stability, mutual trust, and our shared ambition to sustainably develop the handball location of Linz. We are proud to work with such a renowned partner that is firmly established in international handball.
On behalf of the entire club, I would like to thank Kempa for its long-standing support and look forward to many more successful years of our partnership.”

Tim Grothaus, Head of Sponsoring at Kempa, adds:
“HC LINZ AG stands for tradition, passion, and a clear development perspective – exactly what we value in this partnership. The fact that we have been working together since 2003 and will celebrate our 25-year anniversary during the new contract period is exceptional in professional sports. For us, this extension is a strong sign of trust, stability, and our shared ambition to sustainably develop the handball location of Linz.”

Partnership that makes an impact: Special jersey at the “HC LINZ AG Ladies Day”

How the collaboration creates impulses beyond match operations was demonstrated at the “HC LINZ AG Ladies Day”: During the HLA home match against UHC Hollabrunn on Saturday, March 7, HC LINZ AG wore specially designed pink jerseys, created in close cooperation with Kempa.

Uwe Schneider, Manager of HC LINZ AG, on the initiative:
“At our HLA home match against UHC Hollabrunn on Saturday, March 7, not only sport was in focus, but also an important statement for women’s handball. Our first team wore specially designed pink jerseys, created in close cooperation with Kempa.
After the match, the jerseys were auctioned off – with great success: EUR 3,660.67 was raised. The entire amount will go 100% toward supporting our female handball youth development.
HC LINZ AG has stood for successful top-level men’s handball for many years. At the same time, with initiatives such as the HC LINZ AG Ladies Day, we want to send a clear signal and further establish the club as a home for girls and women in handball.”

The contract extension underlines the shared ambition to sustainably strengthen handball in Linz – in sporting, structural, and social terms. With the upcoming anniversary in mind, the partnership will also be used in the coming years to highlight its shared history and create new impulses for fans, youth, and the community.