SV Darmstadt 1898
SV Darmstadt 1898 e.V. is a member-owned German professional football club founded in 1898, competing in the 2. Bundesliga from Darmstadt, Hesse. It serves fans, members, and commercial sponsors through ticketing, sponsorship, media rights, merchandise, player transfers, and the ~17,000-seat Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1898
- HeadquartersDarmstadt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SV Darmstadt 1898 does
SV Darmstadt 1898 e.V., commonly known as "Die Lilien" (The Lilies), is a member-owned German professional football club founded on 22 May 1898 and domiciled in Darmstadt, Hesse. It competes in the 2. Bundesliga and plays home matches at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor (approximately 17,000 capacity). The club operates as a registered association (eingetragener Verein) governed by a Präsidium led by President Markus Pfitzner, with approximately 9,000 members holding democratic control; there is no external equity owner or parent company. Stadium operations are conducted through a wholly-owned subsidiary, SV Darmstadt 1898 Stadion GmbH. Headcount is reported as 11–50 employees.
The club's product portfolio centers on the professional football team and is monetized across seven revenue streams: matchday ticketing (single-match, season/Dauerkarten, VIP/hospitality), sponsorship and advertising (Merck, Craft, Krombacher, Entega, Software AG, Suzuki, NEO.bet, Haftpflichtkasse), DFL media and broadcasting rights (performance-adjusted share), transfer fees and player trading, merchandise (online shop and physical retail at shop.sv98.de), annual membership fees (WirLilien portal via Unidy at sv98.unidy.de), and third-party stadium events. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the club's owned ticket shop, online merchandise store, and Unidy fan portal; commercial partnerships are sold through the in-house business development team. The Junglilien youth academy (NLZ), Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps, and the eFOOTBALL esports division extend the product surface into talent development, youth engagement, and digital competition.
Commercially, the 2025/26 season closed with a 5th-place finish (52 points, +10 vs prior season) and record single-window transfer revenue from the sales of Fraser Hornby and Isac Lidberg, described by the President as a supporting pillar of long-term financial planning. Recent squad activity for 2026/27 includes five free-transfer signings, one contract extension, two youth promotions, and entry into the new Bundesliga Talent Series. International outreach is anchored by a strategic cooperation with Spurs Sports & Entertainment / San Antonio FC (since 2024), building on the 2017 Darmstadt–San Antonio sister-city relationship. The club has no disclosed revenue figures and is not publicly traded.
SV Darmstadt 1898 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SV Darmstadt 1898
- Legal name
- SV Darmstadt 1898 e.V.
- Website
- https://sv98.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1898
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SV Darmstadt 1898 e.V. is a member-owned German professional football club founded in 1898, competing in the 2. Bundesliga from Darmstadt, Hesse. It serves fans, members, and commercial sponsors through ticketing, sponsorship, media rights, merchandise, player transfers, and the ~17,000-seat Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SV Darmstadt 1898 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Football Club / Sports Entertainment Services
- NAICS
- Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sports Venue Operations for Live Games (Stadiums/Arenas) (MPAGAMAG), Sports Events & Match Tickets (THAJAFAE)
Keywords
Where SV Darmstadt 1898 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Darmstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SV Darmstadt 1898 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Matchday Revenue (Ticketing): Revenue from ticket sales for home matches at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, including matchday tickets, season tickets, and VIP hospitality packages. A sell-out crowd at the stadium generates significant matchday income.
- Sponsorship & Advertising: Revenue from main and kit sponsors including Merck (stadium naming rights), Craft Sportswear (kit supplier), Krombacher (beer sponsor), Entega, Software AG, Suzuki, NEO.bet, and Haftpflichtkasse. Premium partner arrangements and logo placements across stadium and digital channels.
- Media & Broadcasting Rights: Revenue from DFL media and broadcasting rights shared among 2. Bundesliga clubs based on sporting performance and commercial value. Performance in the league directly affects the share of central media revenue.
- Transfer Fees & Player Trading: Transfer fees generated from the sale of players to other clubs. The club has generated record transfer revenue in a single window through sales of Fraser Hornby and Isac Lidberg, representing a key pillar of long-term financial planning.
- Merchandise & Fan Articles: Revenue from the official online shop selling jerseys, fan merchandise, accessories, and commemorative items. The club operates physical shop locations with stated opening hours.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from the WirLilien fan and member portal, offering benefits including priority ticket access, exclusive merchandise offers, and fan community participation.
- Event & Stadium Hire: Revenue from third-party events hosted at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, including concerts such as the Lionel Richie Tribute Night, corporate events, and stadium tours.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Season tickets (Dauerkarten) available with priority access for club members |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Matchday tickets for 2. Bundesliga home games |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership program (WirLilien / Bölle Bande) offering fan benefits |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Official merchandise and fan articles available in the online shop and physical stores |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SV Darmstadt 1898 is a professional German football club competing in the 2. Bundesliga. The club sells matchday tickets, season tickets, and VIP/hospitality packages for home games at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor; operates an online fan merchandise shop; runs an annual membership program via the WirLilien portal; delivers youth football development through the Junglilien academy and Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps; and offers corporate sponsorship and partnership packages to commercial brands.
Product overview
SV Darmstadt 1898 is a 2. Bundesliga football club offering a portfolio of sports, fan engagement, and commercial products centered around its professional football team. The core offering is its professional football team competing in the 2. Bundesliga. The club operates the SV 98 Online Shop (e-commerce for official merchandise including CRAFT-brand jerseys and the SV 98 x L&L Datterich collection), an Online Ticket Shop for matchday and season tickets, a membership program via the Wir Lilien portal (managed by Unidy), and hospitality/VIP services at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. The Junglilien youth academy (NLZ) develops talent through age-group teams and participates in the new Bundesliga Talent Series. The club also offers corporate sponsorship packages and runs the Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps during school holidays. The team plays at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, which also hosts third-party events including concerts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Junglilien: Youth academy and talent development program of SV Darmstadt 98
- Bölle Bande
- Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps
- WirLilien
Products and services
- SV 98 Online Shop Official e-commerce store selling SV Darmstadt 98 fan merchandise including home and away jerseys (CRAFT brand), kids apparel, accessories, collectibles, and the SV 98 x L&L Datterich collaboration collection. Physical retail locations also operate with stated opening hours.
- Online Ticket Shop Digital ticketing platform for matchday tickets, season tickets (Dauerkarten), away match tickets, and VIP day passes, with a waiting list system for season tickets and priority pre-sale access for club members.
- Mitgliedschaft (Club Membership) Official annual club membership program delivered through the Wir Lilien portal (sv98.unidy.de), offering personal accounts, subscription management, single sign-on, priority ticket access, exclusive merchandise offers, and fan community participation benefits.
- Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps Youth football camps run by the club during school holidays (including Hessian summer holidays), operated through the NLZ (Nachwuchsleistungszentrum), with exclusive price benefits for Bölle Bande members.
- Hospitality & VIP Services Corporate hospitality offerings at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor including VIP day passes, loge (hospitality suite) access, and business entertainment packages for home matches.
- Commercial Sponsorship Packages Tiered sponsorship offerings for corporate partners ranging from main and kit partners to premium partners and standard sponsors, with stadium, digital, and matchday visibility and activation options.
- Junglilien (Nachwuchsleistungszentrum) Youth development academy operating age-group teams with the goal of progressing talent into the professional squad; participates in the new Bundesliga Talent Series U21 competition launching for the 2026/27 season.
- eFOOTBALL Esports Team Competitive eFootball department fielding SV Darmstadt 98-branded teams in digital football competitions.
- Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor Venue Hire Stadium venue hosting 2. Bundesliga home matches and rentable for third-party events including concerts (e.g., Lionel Richie Tribute Night), corporate events, and stadium tours. Approximate capacity 17,000.
Quantifiable outcome
- Season 2025/26: 52 points, 5th place in 2. Bundesliga, 10 more points than previous season
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SV Darmstadt 1898
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, premium and minor.
- MerckflagshipMerck holds the stadium naming rights for the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor, making it the club's most prominent commercial partner. The stadium hosts 2. Bundesliga matches, concerts, and third-party events. Merck's association with the club dates back multiple seasons.
- Craft SportswearcoreCraft Sportswear is the official kit supplier and equipment partner for SV Darmstadt 98, providing match kits, training apparel, and fan merchandise. The partnership also extends internationally with Craft Sportswear North America supporting the club's US activities in San Antonio.
- KrombacherpremiumKrombacher is a premium sponsor and beer partner of SV Darmstadt 98, prominently featured in stadium advertising and hospitality areas. Krombacher has supported the club across multiple seasons.
- Spurs Sports & EntertainmentflagshipSince 2024, SV 98 cooperates with Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the operating company of San Antonio FC and the San Antonio Spurs. This partnership has grown from the sister-city relationship between Darmstadt and San Antonio (since 2017) and includes soccer camps in San Antonio, panel discussions on sports diplomacy, and cross-cultural football activities. The cooperation has been described as 'exemplary' by both parties.
- HAIXminorHAIX is an equipment sponsor providing footwear, appearing as a sponsor partner on the club's website. HAIX is a German manufacturer of professional footwear.
- SuzukipremiumSuzuki is a premium partner and automotive sponsor of SV Darmstadt 98, featured on the club's website partner section. The partnership includes vehicle sponsorship and branding across digital channels.
- EntegapremiumEntega is a premium energy partner of SV Darmstadt 98. As a regional energy provider based in Darmstadt, Entega's partnership aligns with the club's sustainability strategy.
- Software AGpremiumSoftware AG is a premium technology partner of SV Darmstadt 98, headquartered in Darmstadt. The partnership has been longstanding, and Software AG was among the early corporate supporters during the club's challenging periods.
- NEO.betpremiumNEO.bet is a sports betting partner of SV Darmstadt 98, appearing as a partner on the club's homepage with branding and digital activations.
- HaftpflichtkassepremiumHaftpflichtkasse is a liability insurance provider and partner of SV Darmstadt 98. The partnership includes joint initiatives such as the annual Ehrenamtspreis (volunteer award) recognizing outstanding voluntary work in local sports clubs.
- Unidy GmbHcoreUnidy GmbH provides the fan and customer portal infrastructure (WirLilien) for SV Darmstadt 98, including membership management, ticketing, subscriptions, and fan profile data. The club hosts its official portal at sv98.unidy.de using Unidy's technology platform.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 1. FC Magdeburg: 1. FC Magdeburg plays in the 2. Bundesliga and runs a similar mid-budget German football operation with comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and member-driven governance structures to SV Darmstadt.
- Eintracht Braunschweig: Eintracht Braunschweig is a 2. Bundesliga side with comparable scale, regional sponsor base, and member association structure to SV Darmstadt 1898.
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern: 1. FC Kaiserslautern is a historic German club currently in the 2. Bundesliga with a similar member-led tradition, Bundesliga pedigree, and large fan base comparable to SV Darmstadt's profile.
- SC Paderborn 07: SC Paderborn 07 is a fellow 2. Bundesliga operator with a similar revenue base, recurring Bundesliga-challenge cycle, and reliance on player trading economics directly comparable to SV Darmstadt 1898.
- Karlsruher SC: Karlsruher SC competes directly with SV Darmstadt in the 2. Bundesliga, operating a comparable mid-tier German professional football club with similar matchday, sponsorship, and transfer-revenue economics.
- SpVgg Greuther Fürth: SpVgg Greuther Fürth is a 2. Bundesliga peer with a comparable budget tier, stadium scale, and reliance on player development and trading, mirroring SV Darmstadt's commercial profile.
- 1. FC Nürnberg: 1. FC Nürnberg is a fellow 2. Bundesliga traditional German club with a historic Bundesliga pedigree and similar matchday revenue and sponsorship dynamics to SV Darmstadt.
Broad incumbents
- FC Augsburg: FC Augsburg is a current Bundesliga club of comparable stadium size and regional economic profile that represents the typical promotion destination and direct comparator for SV Darmstadt's commercial upside scenario.
- Hamburger SV: Hamburger SV is a historic Bundesliga name currently competing in the 2. Bundesliga with broader national brand reach and higher absolute revenue, providing an upside benchmark for SV Darmstadt's commercial trajectory.
- FC Schalke 04: FC Schalke 04 is a large, historic Bundesliga/2. Bundesliga incumbent with extensive member infrastructure that SV Darmstadt's e.V. governance path partially resembles at greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SV Darmstadt 1898 social profiles
Digital presenceSV Darmstadt 1898 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SV Darmstadt 1898 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
SV Darmstadt 1898 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SV Darmstadt 1898 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SV Darmstadt 1898
What does SV Darmstadt 1898 do?
SV Darmstadt 1898 is a professional German football club competing in the 2. Bundesliga. The club sells matchday tickets, season tickets, and VIP/hospitality packages for home games at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor; operates an online fan merchandise shop; runs an annual membership program via the WirLilien portal; delivers youth football development through the Junglilien academy and Merck-Lilien-Fußballcamps; and offers corporate sponsorship and partnership packages to commercial brands.
Is SV Darmstadt 1898 a public or private company?
SV Darmstadt 1898 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SV Darmstadt 1898 founded?
SV Darmstadt 1898 was founded in 1898. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SV Darmstadt 1898 based?
SV Darmstadt 1898 is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does SV Darmstadt 1898 make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Matchday Revenue (Ticketing) is the primary driver. The others are sponsorship & Advertising, media & Broadcasting Rights, transfer Fees & Player Trading, merchandise & Fan Articles, membership Fees and event & Stadium Hire.
Who are SV Darmstadt 1898's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 1. FC Magdeburg, Eintracht Braunschweig, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, SC Paderborn 07, Karlsruher SC, SpVgg Greuther Fürth and 1. FC Nürnberg. Broad incumbents are FC Augsburg, Hamburger SV and FC Schalke 04.
Does SV Darmstadt 1898 have an API?
No public API is recorded for SV Darmstadt 1898.
What industry is SV Darmstadt 1898 in?
SV Darmstadt 1898's product category is Professional Football Club / Sports Entertainment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAMAB, Team Sports Matches (Club & National), with a secondary code of MPAGAMAG, Sports Venue Operations for Live Games (Stadiums/Arenas). Its NAICS code is 711211 and its SIC code is 7997.