Anyone walking through Eindhoven on an average day hears the sound of an international city. Spanish, English, Hindi and Mandarin echo through the streets this is a true melting pot of cultures. That shift is visible not only in public spaces but also within companies and, notably, at PSV. “The city is growing, and so is the number of internationals. Naturally, our supporter base is changing too,” says Frans Janssen, PSV’s Commercial Director.

PSV has been working with STE for many years now. Players, coaching staff and office employees all take language training there, mainly in English, Dutch and Spanish. “It’s not just about football lingo, because that’s pretty universal,” says Frans. “Of course, it helps when players understand each other on the pitch, but communication off the field is just as important. When first-team player Lucas Perez was diagnosed with tuberculosis last season, we had to be sure everyone fully understood what was going on. That’s when language becomes essential.” The training is also available to the player’s family. “Partners of players can take language courses through Mart van den Heuvel, who is responsible for family support. Sometimes in group sessions, sometimes one-on-one. Everything is tailored to their needs. We want players to feel at home quickly, and that only works if their environment can adjust with them.”

Rapid growth across the board
PSV knows a thing or two about growth. Just take a look at merchandise. “Five years ago, we sold around 25,000 shirts a season. Now we’re at 80,000. And no, we haven’t won the championship every single year,” Frans laughs. “It’s partly due to our on-field success, but even more because people from all over the world are settling in this region.” PSV wants to connect with those people, around 200,000 expected over the next ten years. Not necessarily by turning them into walking billboards wearing PSV shirts, but by making them feel part of the PSV family. “We want to be visible in the neighborhoods where many internationals live. Sometimes that means literally showing up with Phoxy, our mascot, at a local supermarket or a primary school. They’re simple things, but they go a long way in building a connection.” That connection is also tangible inside the Philips Stadium. For example, in the ASML Community Lounge, where a group of new international employees from ASML is welcomed at every home match. “I stand on a crate and tell the story of PSV in English. Where we come from, and how we’re connected to Brainport. And then you see people’s eyes light up: ‘Wait, you came out of Philips? Just like we did!’ If they feel that sense of belonging, they’re much more likely to come back to the stadium again.” That is exactly the feeling PSV wants to inspire in the thousands of new residents in the region: the supporters of tomorrow. “But then we have to make sure they can actually come. That’s why expanding the stadium is so important.”

A more international stadium
Expanding the stadium also means making choices. Who will fill those extra seats in the next ten years? “If we add 10,000 seats, should they all go to season ticket holders? Or should we allow more single-match sales or add more business seating? That’s something we’re considering now.” But the stadium isn’t just for PSV fans. After the expansion, the club also wants to attract more festival and event visitors. “Concerts like Guus Meeuwis are sadly a thing of the past, but we want to host events that bring people from all over Europe to Eindhoven. That way, every hotel in the city is booked for three days. The entire city benefits.”

More than just the stadium on Saturday night
The international character of the region is also paying off commercially. More and more partners have international ambitions or are already international themselves. “Take Ebury, a financial services company, or Corendon, an airline. They’re not your typical football sponsors. But they choose PSV precisely because of our link to this international region. They see value in our network.” PSV is now much more than a football club, Frans acknow-ledges. “We want to be more than just the stadium on Saturday night. We help companies connect to the right networks. We’ve always done that, but today those networks are far more international.”

“The companies here are already world-class”
PSV also works more and more with international partners, but always with intent. “We don’t take a scattergun approach,” Frans explains. “We look at where our region already has strong ties, like the United States. We have several American players, our Technical
Director Earnest Stewart is American, and companies like Philips and ASML are active there. It makes sense to explore those opportunities together with Brainport.” That doesn’t mean PSV is chasing global exposure just for the sake of it. “We don’t need to sign shirt deals in China when we already have world-class companies like ASML, Philips and VDL right here in Eindhoven. What we have here is top-tier. So we’re selective about which international partnerships we pursue, but we always consider the context of the Brainport region.”

One great example is the partnership with STE. “We’re proud of STE and congratulate them on their 30-year anniversary,” Frans concludes. “They help us support our players and their families. They help people feel at home here. And that fits perfectly with how we want to be as PSV: open, welcoming, and deeply connected to the region.”

(source: FRITS magazine ‘Medelanders’, text: Willem Pijnenburg, photo: Photo prestige | Edwin van Zandvoort, STE Languages).