After three successful years of collaboration, the Handballverband Niedersachsen Bremen (HVNB) and sports streaming provider Solidsport are extending their partnership and entering the next phase. Starting next season, all matches on HVNB LIVE — the federation’s own livestreaming and video-on-demand platform — will be available live and exclusively. This includes everything from C-youth regional leagues and Oberliga competitions to the flagship divisions: the Solarservice Norddeutschland Handball Regional League Women and Men. This offering is unique within German handball. In addition to league competitions, HVNB LIVE will also broadcast friendly matches and tournaments — both organized by the federation and its clubs.
“With this contract extension, we are taking the next step in our collaboration. As a regional federation, we engaged with livestreaming at an early stage, and we are confident that interest will continue to grow in the coming years,” says Stefan Hüdepohl, President of HVNB.
A key advantage of HVNB LIVE is its low barrier to entry for clubs. In its basic setup, live streaming only requires a smartphone with an internet connection. Match data such as score, game time, goal scorers, and other statistics are automatically integrated into the broadcast from the official match data system. This allows clubs to stream their games live without major investments in hardware, while also generating digital revenue through a built-in, customizable paywall.
“The success of HVNB LIVE and the resulting extension demonstrate that our pay-per-view model in amateur sports is very well received in Germany — thanks to transparent processes and direct revenue sharing with clubs,” says Henry Blunck, Country Manager at Solidsport.
Over the past three years, more than 1,000 matches have been streamed on HVNB LIVE using Solidsport’s tools, reaching audiences around the world and generating significant revenue for handball in Lower Saxony and Bremen. Beyond income from digital streaming tickets, HVNB LIVE has also proven to be a strong platform for commercial partnerships.
“Over the past three years, we’ve had close collaboration with Solidsport and continuously improved the offering for both users and partners. We want to continue this partnership on equal terms in the years ahead,” says Markus Ernst, Managing Director of HVNB.
All federation partners and sponsors are prominently featured on the platform. In the regional leagues, naming rights partner Solarservice Norddeutschland is visible in every stream and occupies the exclusive advertising slot before each video, both live and on-demand.
“The success in commercialisation highlights the importance of central platforms where rights holders can not only generate revenue, but also showcase their partners and sponsors to create additional income streams,” says Henry Blunck, Country Manager at Solidsport.
The extension of this partnership further strengthens HVNB LIVE’s position as the central livestreaming and video-on-demand platform for handball in Lower Saxony and Bremen, increases visibility for all stakeholders, and creates long-term value for clubs and partners across the region.
