A new home base for Lukas Podolski and Rakuten partnership

July 29, 2020 2 min read
Pitches for soccer, futsal, wheelchair sports, and an e-gaming area - Poldi's and Rakuten's new home base has something in store for athletes of all kinds.

Five artificial grass soccer pitches, two multifunctional pitches for futsal (a form of indoor soccer), a panna cage (used for the popular street soccer game panna), basketball nets, wheelchair sports and an e-gaming area – there’s something for athletes of all kinds at STRASSENKICKER Base, the latest project from former Vissel Kobe star Lukas Podolski and partner Rakuten. Based in the former German national player’s hometown of Cologne, STRASSENKICKER Base officially opened its doors on July 18, just in time for the summer holiday season.

“Having my own soccer hall has long been my dream. Now I am proud to have built a unique place in my hometown Cologne and I can’t wait to go full throttle here in the near future,“  said Podolski.

Five artificial grass soccer pitches, two multifunctional pitches, an e-gaming area, and more are ready to be enjoyed by sports lovers in Cologne.
Five artificial grass soccer pitches, two multifunctional pitches, an e-gaming area, and more are ready to be enjoyed by sports lovers in Cologne.

Celebrate, watch and wear

In addition to its variety of sports grounds, “Poldi’s new living room” also offers a separate events area with enough space for public viewings, private parties and other activities. At the aptly named Sports Bar, players and parents can grab a bite after a match or watch their favorite club play on the restaurant’s big screens. And of course, visitors can pick up merchandise from Podolski’s latest streetwear collection to complete their authentic STRASSENKICKER look.

In addition to its variety of sports grounds, “Poldi’s new living room” also offers a separate events area with enough space for public viewings, private parties and other activities.
In addition to its variety of sports grounds, “Poldi’s new living room” also offers event space for public viewings, private parties and other activities.

An expanding partnership

Lukas Podolski has been a Global Brand Ambassador for Rakuten since January 2019. The partnership focuses on the German market and extends across numerous fields: from the Rakuten online marketplace for STRASSENKICKER and a fan community on Rakuten Viber, to charitable causes. In 2019, Lukas was the face of the Rakuten Germany charity sale which resulted in a donation of 100,000 Euros to the Lukas Podolski Foundation.

Soccer Pitches, a sports bar, event spaces and a shop – right in the heart of Poldi’s hometown.
Soccer pitches, a sports bar, event spaces and a shop – right in the heart of Poldi’s hometown.

Powered by Rakuten innovation

Rakuten was also instrumental in implementing the registration and reservation system for the Base. With use of the Rakuten ID, visitors can book slots at the soccer fields. There is also a dedicated Rakuten area where Poldi fans can discover the brand and explore its unique offering on the German market, including the online marketplace and video streaming service Rakuten TV.

For more on this one-of-a-kind sports center, visit the STRASSENKICKER Base homepage (in German) here.

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