11teamsports, Berlin:
A Temple for Football Fans
In mid-September 2019, Europe's largest dealer for football equipment, 11teamsports opened the doors of its new flagship store at the first-class address in Schloßstraße in Berlin. The concept, including production of the interior design, integration of digital elements and implementation as general contractor, was provided by umdasch The Store Makers. The renovation was planned across a store space of 340 m2 – a large goal to reach!
Stadium Atmosphere
Tension rises, together with the adrenaline level and pulse rate: when entering the new flagship store, visitors feel like a professional soccer player just before they run into the stadium. Even in the shop windows, the stadium atmosphere is carried outside through the use of LED screens. On top of this, huge LED walls frame the entrance, forming the look & feel of player tunnels at popular football stadiums. That feeling is also retained in the store. The ceiling is coated in a matt black, conveying the night sky above the arena, floodlights light the merchandise and fan chants can be heard over the loudspeakers. Although football fans here do not have to make decisions worth millions about passing or solo running, they do have to make definitive purchasing decisions on the right footwear or jersey.
Targets
Targets play a big role in the new store. On the one hand, the flagship store itself is a target with its own club room as a meeting place for football fans and sports enthusiasts from all clubs in Berlin and the surrounding area. The community aspect of team sports was a major concern for 11teamsports during the implementation: it was to be the "best football store in the world", which was also strongly promoted by world champions, Mats Hummels and Christoph Kramer in the social media. Players of all levels can have their names printed on the backs of their jerseys and shoes can also be individualised with stickers or a laser.
On the other hand, football is all about hitting the target. The Store Makers of umdasch Seen Media have created a special place for this in the "Cage". Here, the amateur soccer players can test their equipment and prove their skills with interactive games – gamification at premier league. On authentic artificial turf, you can kick targets on the projection and feel like a professional on a penalty kick.
Another mysterious meeting place or "hidden spot" is offered by 11teamsports with the Secret Room, hidden in the vault of the former bank building. umdasch The Store Makers created a worldwide unique space for top-secret, exclusive product presentations. Only selected persons have access to the exclusive part of the flagship store and only with staff company. In the middle of the room, a football or optionally other products float above the golden, pentagonal platform through a hidden magnet. The shoes are displayed at all angles, like precious trophies behind illuminated panes, also seemingly floating. Here, football fans experience their personal magic moment at the Point Of Sale.
Store Design: Friendly Match Between Digital & Analogue
The concept of 11teamsports inspires shoppers through the perfect interplay of shopfitting and digital elements. Experts from different departments in umdasch have played their part in numerous meetings and delivered an impressive result.
"We decided to use 'coarse' materials such as expanded metal, wood and concrete for the shop construction in order to express the offensive character of team sports," says Maik Drewitz, Shop Consult Director at umdasch, describing the idea. For the presentation of sneakers, the cooling basin of the professionals in the station was modelled on tiles in white and blue with a stainless steel ladder.
The rotating Multibrand Footwear Wall in the store, on the other hand, skilfully sets the scene for almost 300 football boots for all kinds of training surfaces, whether artificial, natural grass, indoor, or out on the street. A further special feature here lies in the shoes, namely in the Electronic Price Labelling (ESL). umdasch Seen Media has used a concept that integrates ESL labels into shoe trees. As a result, the back wall is purely reserved for the store design and the price tags are side-lined to the bench.
The ceiling is enhanced by a variety of framed jerseys representing football teams including club colours, logos and their sponsors. "In close cooperation with 11teamsports, we implemented a holistic idea, including digital signage in all sizes including programming, content & creation and the innovative ESL shoe trees," explains Markus Deserno, General Manager Digital Retail Germany. "From design to implementation, we were able to offer the customer exactly what they wanted," adds Dennis Grünewald, Sales Director at umdasch proudly.
