VfB Stuttgart has officially opened its modernised Club 1893 venue. The ceremonial opening with approximately 100 guests took place on October 5th on the stadium's opposite stand.
The roughly 600-square-metre space is divided into a tradition wing and an innovation wing. On home matchdays, it will be used for hospitality offerings. During the week, it will host workshops, events, and the work of the VfB Innovation Circle with partners and start-ups. "With the modernised rooms, we are creating a place where partners, start-ups, and innovative minds can come together away from a matchday, work on concrete projects, and make innovation tangible," said CEO Alexander Wehrle.
At the opening, the club presented AI applications and data-based match analyses. Former VfB player and brand ambassador Cacau held a conversation with Director of Innovation and Digital Christian Ruf. An episode of the VfB podcast 'VfB STR' was also recorded live in front of an audience.
The opening coincides with a period where the team is building momentum with two consecutive wins. Following the 5-0 victory over Greuther Fürth and the 3-0 win against Heidenheim, VfB sits in 15th place in the standings with three points. The next match is an away fixture against 12th-placed SC Paderborn 07 on October 10th.
The Club 1893 is intended to strengthen the club's identity and foster new ideas. "VfB has existed since 1893, but we have constantly reinvented and developed ourselves," Wehrle stated. The first concrete formats, such as Co-Creation Days and educational workshops, are already being planned.
The report in full is at wochenblatt-reporter.de
