Red Bull, as the main partner, is closely involved with the Otten Innovation Cup and with innovation in sports in general. During the tournament, we spoke with Silvio Arendt, project manager for RB Leipzig. He is enthusiastic about the Otten Innovation Cup: “PSV is a fantastic host. The facilities are excellent, the weather is great, and there are amazing international teams participating. The level of play is very high, so it’s been a very interesting weekend.”
Arendt explains why Red Bull is interested in a partnership with this tournament and why they are following it closely from Leipzig. “From Leipzig, we are always interested in these kinds of developments, like the innovative game rules. It’s fascinating to see what happens when you integrate rules that are applied in other sports into football and apply them in a new way. This is one reason why Red Bull is very interested in being involved in tournaments like the Otten Innovation Cup.”
Arendt also noted that players are still adjusting to the new rules: “It’s very interesting to see how the players react to the advantages and disadvantages of these rules. You can clearly see that the game is played with very high intensity and that players must stay alert. For example, dribbling instead of throwing makes the game resume quickly. I think this is good for the sport. I’m definitely very excited about it.”
Arendt also looked to the future: “At Red Bull, we are always focused on innovation, especially in football. It’s important to clearly define what innovation means. I believe it’s not always about applying completely new things but also about merging different applications in sports. Innovations can also be applied off the field, such as in infrastructure and organisation. It will be interesting to see how football evolves.”
In closing, Arendt had a message for all the supporters and fans following the Otten Innovation Cup: “I highly recommend everyone to visit the tournament. It’s a very interesting tournament of high quality. With the new rules and the excellent organisation, it’s a must-visit for anyone who loves young athletes competing at a high level.”