DPD Netherlands new main sponsor of Squash Bond Netherlands

DPD has committed to be the main sponsor of Squash Bond Netherlands (SBN) from 1 January 2021 until 2022. DPD embraces the top-class and grassroots sport, but also intends to contribute to strengthening the sports infrastructure. With this new partnership, SBN and DPD renew their partnership, as they also teamed up in 2018 - 2019.

Grassroot sports: the foundation of top-class sports

SBN has given itself a game-changing mission to bolster the breeding grounds and thus take Dutch talents and Dutch team players in a structured way to a higher level. Internationally, the Jong Orange teams (under 21) are among the best European teams, but their dream is to become a global player too. This partnership enables SBN, among other things, to strengthen its talent development and top-class sport programmes.

Thiemo van Spellen, commercial director of DPD Netherlands: “We are proud to be the main sponsor of Squash Bond Nederland again. We are well-disposed to the development of Dutch top talents. With this partnership, we underline values that we both project: top-class sports at global level! Day in day out, our employees take up the challenge of processing and delivering millions of parcels. We can see many similarities: handling pressure, offering excellent performances and working as a team are just a few examples of what we have in common. Squash is a highly dynamic sport and that is a good match with DPD. In addition, it allows us to encourage our own employees to relax in time, for example by attending squash clinics.”

Tom Lucas, director of SBN “We are extremely pleased with DPD Netherlands as a loyal partner in these difficult and special times. After an earlier partnership, there is again great synergy with DPD. Thanks to this partnership, SBN can take squash in all its glory to a higher level, making our potential and actual target groups more committed than ever."

300 squash centres deployed in two ways

A unique aspect of the partnership is the deployment of the more than 300 squash centres in the Netherlands. Squash centres are usually situated at places that are easily accessible, and often have very generous opening hours. By linking these squash centres to the DPD Pickup parcelshop network, the number of facilities for DPD customers will increase, and new people will come to the squash centre and may become interested in playing squash.

At the same time, DPD employees will get the opportunity to learn about squash via clinics, given by the Dutch team, in various squash centres – those in the vicinity of DPD offices and distribution centres – and they will be made a special offer to keep squashing after the clinics.

Rogier van Veen (partnerships & centres) “DPD’s support is important, especially in a period in which the sports infrastructure is under pressure. Within the partnership, we will activate DPD customers and DPD employees (and their relatives) in various ways to get an introduction to squash. That way, we will jointly allow the sport to grow further, creating a win-win situation for all parties involved."

European Team Championship 2022: the grande finale

Originally, the European Team Championship Squash was due to be organised this year (2020) in Klokgebouw in Eindhoven. Due to the Covid-19 measures, this event has been rescheduled to 2022, and this European Championship will be the grande finale of the partnership between DPD and SBN. For more information on the European Team Championship, click here.