The Czech Republic’s Viktoria Plzen may not be well-known to many football fans outside of the country, but that could change after the team’s innovative marketing strategy that combines beer and football dugouts.
The club have unveiled new dugouts in the shape of a large beer can and they will house the substitutes on the benches a the Doosan Arena. The dugouts provide leather seating for 14 players, coaches and physios for each team.
“These are quite unique and I dare to say there is no other club with them,” said general manager Adolf Sadek.
The dugouts took a month design and build before their recent unveiling. If they are successful as a marketing tool, it can be expected more football clubs will adopt something similar.
The new dugouts at Viktoria Plzen have got rave reviews by many, and fans took to Twitter to express their interest in the design.
Beer can dugouts. Every pitch should have one. #beer#football https://t.co/xpFvYtcsCR
— Steven Elliott (@stevie_elliott) July 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/teddehaan/status/890887987537612801
Viktoria Plzen just majorly raised the bar for football dugouts.
Check this out! https://t.co/D2TVmykEJt pic.twitter.com/U0FFLWcF95
— Michezo Tanzania (@SportsTanzania) July 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/gocityspy/status/890860736615940096
FC Viktoria Plzeň (@fcviktorkaplzen) now has dugouts that look like beer cans! Great use of a space for a unique sponsor activation! pic.twitter.com/E8dFUA8uxZ
— Front Office Sports (@frntofficesport) July 27, 2017
Just filed the new subs bench at FC Viktoria Plzeň under 'best ever'. pic.twitter.com/JA8pN2YnAF
— Danny Last (@DannyLast) July 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/AL95Football/status/890897110228447232
The new dugouts will be on show in this season’s UEFA Champions League as Viktoria Plzen compete in the continent’s top club tournament as well as the Czech domestic league.