Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund will split its shirt sponsorship rights between the incumbent chemicals brand Evonik and telecommunications company 1&1 from next season.

Under the new arrangement, Evonik will focus on international markets by branding the shirt in all international cup competitions, including the Uefa Champions League, friendly matches abroad and the DFB Cup. The Germany-based 1&1 will take over as shirt sponsor when the club plays in the Bundesliga.

The model and the sponsorship with 1&1 were brokered by the global sports marketing agency Lagardère Sports.

SportBusiness Soccer values the current Evonik deal at €18m ($19.4m) per year until the end of the 2024-25 season.

The five-year deal made with 1&1, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, will take the company up to the same end date as the agreement with Evonik, which has renegotiated its fee going forwards.

Evonik will now pay about €10m per year in the final five years of its contact, reports Der Spiegel.

German media reports also suggest that 1&1 will pay significantly more than €10m per year for the shirt sponsorship rights in Bundesliga matches. That inventory includes a comprehensive advertising package for all Bundesliga games and innovative digital rights.

Reports state the club could receive as a much as €40m per season from the combined sponsorships should the club achieve all its international and domestic competition targets.

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Explaining the move away from the German market, Christian Kullmann, chief executive of Evonik, said: “We have had 14 incredibly successful and wonderful years with BVB in which our partnership has grown steadily. In Germany, BVB is firmly established in the top league and that is why our brand is very well known. Now we want to align our partnership to international success.”

Ralph Dommermuth, chief executive of 1&1’s parent company United Internet, said the Bundesliga-only agreement would go “far beyond classic sponsoring”.

Dommermuth said: “1&1 is a strong brand that is always breaking new ground, both in terms of marketing and innovative products. We bought 5G frequencies last year and are preparing to build a modern mobile network. We also bring this technological expertise to bear in the partnership with Borussia Dortmund. In the area of ​​social media and content, in particular, we will open up new opportunities in the future to persuade interesting target groups.”