Dominic Thiem, Bitpanda, Kitzbühel: Sports business up close

With a strictly limited number of participants, we set off by bus from Vienna to Kitzbühel early yesterday morning. Under the umbrella of Sportsbusiness.at, the crypto platform Bitpanda had invited guests to an exclusive Sports Business Travel Club event. Against the impressive backdrop of the traditional ATP tournament in Kitzbühel, the focus was on insights into professional tennis as well as the economic mechanisms behind sports sponsorship and major events.

High-profile interview partners

We arrived in Kitzbühel shortly before noon. Host Bitpanda had prepared a reception at the Hotel Schwarzer Adler before we all went to lunch together. This was followed by the highlight of the day: three one-to-one interviews with high-profile personalities from the worlds of sport and business, which I had the privilege of hosting.

Alexander Antonitsch

Alex Antonitsch is a true Austrian tennis legend. Together with Thomas Muster and Horst Skoff, he was part of the legendary “Three Musketeers” who shaped the domestic tennis scene in the 1990s. Today, Antonitsch is the tournament director of the ATP tournament in Kitzbühel. During the interview, he looked back on the eventful history of the tournament and provided exciting insights into the economic conditions under which an international tennis event functions.

Martin Beranek

As Commercial Director Austria & Switzerland at Bitpanda, Martin Beranek represented the host of the event. Bitpanda is one of the most active companies in the field of sports sponsorship – not only in tennis. Beranek spoke about the strategic importance of sponsorship, brand presence in sports, and why partnerships between equals are crucial for sustainable success.

Dominic Thiem

Finally, Dominic Thiem, one of the most influential figures in Austrian tennis, took to the stage. The former world number three remains unforgettable, above all for his dramatic US Open victory in 2020 against Alexander Zverev. Due to injury, Thiem has been retired for over a year. This made his thoughts on his “career after his career” and the relationship between top-level sport, business, and personal development all the more exciting.

A sporting interlude and a successful conclusion

After the talks, participants had the opportunity to watch the quarter-finals of the tournament live. In the evening, the Kitz & Coins Party provided an atmospheric conclusion to an intense and inspiring day.

A big thank you to Bitpanda and Sportsbusiness.at for allowing me to be part of this special day. With so many Austrian tennis celebrities in attendance, there is only one question left to ask: Who is your personal tennis hero?