As the first installment of a series highlighting brands that Soccer Command carries, we wanted to start off by taking a look at one of our favorite brands and one of the most historic soccer brands on Earth: Hummel.
Hummel... Sounds familiar...
Well, its probably because you know Hummel from their US market presence in the 1990s and into the early 2000s. Their trademark 'bumblebee' logo and 'chevron' prints are etched in many soccer aficionado's minds. In fact, Hummel was one of the better-known soccer brands in the US back then. As with other soccer brands like Umbro, Lotto, etc., with the rise of Nike, Adidas and most recently Under Armour, Hummel was edged out of the US market. In 2016 the brand made a welcomed return to the market bringing with them their uniquely Danish/European style and their undeniable soccer heritage.
Why does Soccer Command carry Hummel?
The answer is quite simple, really. Hummel's mission is to "Change the world through sport." At Soccer Command one of our main guiding principles is to offer the soccer community with the highest quality soccer gear. Hummel absolutely fits that bill. Since their inception in 1923, they have grown to cover the spectrum for soccer goods manufacturing unique and high quality soccer uniforms, balls, warm ups, and outerwear. Another factor in choosing to establish Hummel as a core brand was their Company Karma Policy which is a commitment to act as a responsible company in a global economy from their corporate behavior to supply chain accountability. Very, very cool. We also really love their Classic Bee collection of sporty, European, urban style apparel. Classic Bee apparel is the perfect compliment to any soccer player's attire. In a nutshell, Hummel is an incredibly natural fit for Soccer Command and we hope you enjoy trying all of their latest gear.
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Tell me more about Hummel's heritage.
No problem. It would be hard to highlight Humme'ls 90+ year heritage better than they does. Thus, the following is an excerpt from Hummel.net (with some small additions), telling their remarkable story.
"The bumblebee company has now been airborne for over 90 colourful years. Let's take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane and relive some highlights of the exciting hummel® history."
1923
After having watched a soccer match in the pouring rain young shoemaker Albert Messmer develops one of the first soccer cleats the world has ever seen. In the aftermath he founds the company Messmer & Co. with his brother Michael Ludwig Messmer in the Hamburg, Germany suburb of Eppendorf.
1956
The visionary Bernhard Weckenbrock takes over the company. He believes that the product needs to have a unique personality, which athletes can identify with. From this philosophy emerges the classic chevron logo, which symbolises team spirit, progression and a drive to win it. Partnered with the main bumblebee logo, the identity of the new hummel® is now in place.
1968
hummel® signs its first sponsorship deal with soccer club, Duisburg, from the 2nd German Bundesliga.
1969
hummel® launches its first collection of sportswear. Promotional sponsorships help sales, and the company enjoys massive success. Later that year, the hummel® logo (the bumblebee) is created – in a somewhat rounder version.
1988
hummel® signs a sponsorship deal with mighty Real Madrid – and with the club’s biggest star, Danish soccer’s nightmare, Emilio Butragueño. The deal sees the sale of hummel® products hit the roof across Europe.
1992
The Danish national soccer team wins the European Championship – wearing hummel®. Since Denmark has not qualified regularly and is admitted only 10 days before the beginning of the tournament at expense of former Yugoslavia, problems arise concerning delivery of playing kits to the team. In accordance with Denmark’s unexpected success, national team jerseys are ripped off the shelves in sports stores across the country.
1999
With THORNICO as the new owner, Christian Stadil makes his entrance at hummel®. He launches a collection of reintroduced, original sport styles into the fashion market. This establishes hummel® as a trendsetting sports apparel brand.
2012
hummel® strengthens in the German market by signing a sponsorship deal with Karlsruher SC and also introducing an off-field deal with FC St. Pauli which equips the club with boots, bags, underwear, goalkeeper gloves and fashion sneakers.
2013
The year of our 90th anniversary was both busy and exciting. We published a brand book and launched a range of anniversary products. Just the right way to celebrate an important milestone in hummel’s history.
2014
In 2014 we both expanded our collaboration with FC St Pauli and signed Füchse Berlin; an exciting new development that both cements hummel® as a leading handball brand and strengthens our presence on the soccer field. Apart from their colourful profile, FC St Pauli is also engaged in several projects with the aim to change the world through sport; a focus completely in sync with hummel’s vision.
2015
hummel sponsored Real Oviedo, one of Spanish soccer’s most recognizable names, having graced the La Liga, alongside the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, for a large part of their distinguished 90 year history. The values embraced by the club clearly mirror those of hummel – with inclusivity, unity and passion running like the thread through everything that Real Oviedo believe and stand for.
2016
hummel signed a sponsorship contract with DBU (Denmark National Team). It has been 12 years since the iconic hummel chevrons was last featured on the players’ jerseys, but hummel is now back in the game with an 8-year sponsorship contract. The contract will run until 2024 and includes all Danish National Teams. Read the full story here.
2017
hummel continue sponsorship for Bundesliga club SC Frieberg. hummel is the club’s new official kit supplier. The Danish sports- and fashion company and the club from the German Black Forest agreed on a long term contract that is effective in both, the 1st and the 2nd German Bundesliga. See the full story here.
Like Hummel?
All the latest Hummel gear is available at Soccer Command!
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