GERMAN MEETINGS: BERLIN – New at the 72nd. ISTAF BERLIN on september 1, 2013: DKMS debuts as charity partner and Paralympics victor challenges Olympic champions!

Berlin – The Berlin International Stadium Festival (ISTAF) will be taking off for its 72nd. round on 1 September 2013, featuring a tried and tested concept, old and new sponsors, the charity partner DKMS, and an hour's "delay". The delay will be due to altered TV times: this time the ZDF will be airing its coverage between 4.30 and 6.00 p.m. live from the Berlin Olympic Stadium. In past years the programme ended at 5.00 p.m. 

During the five-hour event once again spectators at the Olympic Stadium and viewers at home will be able to see 200 of the best light athletes in the world. At least 16 field events are planned. As in the past, so this year too, the organisers have a clear intention: to respond to the results at the greatest sporting event of the year. Two weeks before the ISTF, the IAFF Light Athletics World Championship will reach its finish in Moscow. The aim once again is to showcase all the German medal winners, and as many world champions as possible, in Berlin.    

So while most of the field events are not yet fixed, we shall certainly be seeing the German superstars from the London Olympics again. Olympic champion Robert Harting intends once more to defend his Berlin patch against all international competition in the discus event, and the world-class pole vaulters around Björn Otto (Silver in London) und Raphael Holzdeppe (Bronze) will likewise be pitting themselves against the best of their fellow performers in the world. David Storl, world champion and silver-medal shot-put winner in London, is expected to be present at what will probably be the last contest of his friend and mentor Ralf Bartels, as will many other world-class shot-putters.

With the engagement of Paralympics champion Sebastian Dietz, the ISTAF organisers have fulfilled a dream – and a promise – for the partially disabled discus thrower. Immediately after Dietz had won the gold medal for Germany in London, Meeting Director Gerhard Janetzky assured him a starting place at the ISTF. On 1 September he will actually be taking part on the field with the greatest stars of his sport. With Olympic champion Robert Harting to the fore, who in Moscow two weeks before the ISTF has set his sights on becoming world champion for three times in a row.

Most important sponsors: the Berlin Casino and the State of Berlin

ISTAF has successfully gained new sponsors, in the shape of the Berlin Lottery and the retailer Möbel Kraft. Among other activities, this furniture company will be showcasing the Robert Harting fan block directly on the quoit. Likewise making their debut among ISTF supporters are the health insurer IKK Classic, which will be presenting the shot-put contest, and Laserline, partnering as the official printer. Martin Seeber, managing director of the ISTAF marketing company TPO Sportevents, says: "We are very grateful to all sponsors and partners, particularly to the Berlin Casino and the State of Berlin, represented by the Senator for Sport. Without the support of these two institutions, there would be no ISTAF. But other partners too, such as Nike, AOK, Volkswagen and the Berlin Fair & Exhibition Centre, all make the ISTAF what it is."

As last year, Germany's biggest and highest-earning casino will also be supporting the ISTAF in 2013. "Last year was the first time I was there and I was enormously impressed by the atmosphere and the sporting achievements", says Dr. Franz Wohlfahrt, chairman of the board of Nocomatic AG, majority shareholder in the casino. "That is why, even during the 2012 event, I agreed with the managing director of the casino, Günter Münstermann, that we should continue our collaboration in 2013. More than a quarter of a million Euros flow annually to sport out of the income from gaming – to the Füchse Berlin, the First FC Union, BR Volleys, Champions Gala, high-jumper Patrick Hausding, to name but a few.

"Promotion of sport, along with many other social causes which we support, forms a part of our social responsibility", says Münstermann. "I have been a friend of light athletics for many years and am particularly glad that Robert Harting, whom we have supported for years, will be there again. I wish the ISTAF 2003 may enjoy high-quality competitions, good weather, and a full stadium.

 

ISTAF & DKMS – Collaboration by record holders

The ISTAF will be showcasing a new charity partner, in the shape of the German Bone Marrow Donors' Centre DKMS. This collaboration has also been brought about by the Berlin Casino, which is assigning its advertising space free of charge to the DKMS during the children's races in the warm-up programme. Under Section 14 of the Advertising Guidelines, gambling enterprises are prohibited from advertising in the stadium when children or young people are performing. So during the warm-up the DKMS logo will be seen in place of the Casino logo on all advertising displays and the athletes' starting numbers.

The German Bone Marrow Donors' Centre (DKMS) is looking forward to its collaboration, under its slogan "Higher, faster, further." The aim of this collaboration will be to draw the attention of interested persons to the subject of leukaemia and stem-cell donorship and to get them to join the DKMS in registration campaigns on the day of the ISTAF. For the world's biggest donor centre it is important to gain strongly supportive partners in the fight against leukaemia – a subject which affects everyone. Olympic champion Robert Harting had himself tested and typed today and thus is now one of 3.5 million registered donors.

ZDF to transmit live from 4.30 p.m., world-wide TV transmission from 4.00 p.m.

As mentioned at the start, the ZDF will be transmitting live from the Berlin Olympic Stadium, beginning at 4.30 p.m. The international programme will begin half an hour earlier, broadcasting to 160 countries. The TV transmission will end at 6.00 p.m.

Tickets from EUR 9.00, family ticket for four persons to cost EUR 25.00

This year, too, numerous joint ticketing ventures and attractive special offers have been designed to break the sound barrier for the biggest one-day meeting in the world – 50,00 plus X spectators. No comparable light-athletics event in the world has so many visitors. Martin Seeber from the marketing company TPO Sportevents says, "We have already sold 20 per cent more tickets than at the same time last year. That is making us cautiously optimistic than we can reach the 55,000 visitor mark. The successes gained by German athletes, the great atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium, a super programme for the whole family at affordable prices – that's what people want to see."

Advance sales for the 72nd. ISTAF have been underway since November 2012. As last year, there are five price levels, starting at EUR 9.00 for seats in the Upper Tier, and ending at EUR 39.00 for the best seats in the Lower Tier at the finishing line. In between, there are Price Level 4 for EUR 14.00 (Lower Tier Curve), Level 3 for EUR 19.00 (Lower Tier Back Straight), and Level 2 (at the 100 metre start) for EUR 29.00. The family or group ticket is particularly popular, offering four persons seats in the Upper Tier, and costing only EUR 25.00 – i.e. EUR 6.25 per person.

Customers of Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB) even have completely free entrance if they use their DKB Visa Card. They just need to show their credit card at the box office and will immediately receive a free ticket for the Upper Tier.

The "I WANT YOU" campaign 2013

Olympic discus champion Robert Harting, an outstanding athlete and Sportsman of the Year 2012, will once again be the celebrity attraction in the ISTAF campaign 2013. First he will be the face on the "I WANT YOU" campaign, so successful last year, then he will be seen together with four Berlin light-athletics children and the claim "WE GOING TO BE THERE!" The children will be from the four biggest Berlin light-athletic clubs, SC Charlottenburg, Berliner SC, Olympischer and LG Nord (the first named are also the ISTAF's three founder and sponsor clubs).

The publicity will be showing in a total issue of 3,500 copies in the form of City Light placards and Metroboards in Berlin. The Berlin City Cleansing Department, young entrants' sponsor for the ITAF, will be supplying further advertising space on 120 of their garbage trucks. For this purpose a special motif has been developed together with Robert Harting and the children. It runs "ISTAF FOR ALL!" For the Berlin City Cleansing Department is making it possible for all Berlin children to visit the ISTAF for just EUR 3.00.

The aim of the ISTAF campaign is a direct call to Berliners interested in sport and fans of light athletics to support the ISTAF by purchasing entry tickets and coming to the Olympic Stadium. Here, too, "Working jointly for the ISTAF" is the thought in the spotlight.

 

Claus Frömming
Head of Communications

 

ISTAF Berlin