EN 
NO 
In Norway today, there are a total of 23,228 football teams, of which only 30% are women and girls. To promote women's football, in addition to reducing the participation fee in children's and youth football, Norske Backer has increased its investment in the sponsorship collaboration with KIL Football.
"We think it is important that women are also invested in, on an equal footing with men," says Sustainability Manager and Marketing Coordinator Oda Beate Lerheim. "As the situation is now, unfortunately, men can more easily make a living from the sport, which we think is not right. This should be the same for both genders."
"Sponsors are very important for us to make this work financially," says Morten Aasvangen, General Manager of KIL Football. "It is crucial to keep the participation fee for players as low as possible and to maintain the offer we have today."
"We at Norske Backer are very committed to supporting the local community and contributing to positive development. Women and children/youth represent the future, and by investing in their football activities, we hope to give them the opportunity to develop both on and off the field. We believe that sports can be a powerful force for building confidence, team spirit, and healthy habits, which are values we highly appreciate," says Stian Gundersen, Sales and Marketing Manager at Norske Backer.
What Does Sponsorship Contribute To?
To ensure inclusion, it is important that all children and youth have the opportunity to participate in organized sports, regardless of their background. For this to be possible, it is necessary to remove the financial barriers that stand in the way and at the same time promote an inclusive environment. This is an important part of why Norske Backer chooses to sponsor KIL Football.
"We are committed to keeping the participation fee for sports low so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to join if they want to, without finances being a barrier," says Lerheim.
A challenge Norwegian football clubs face is that youth, especially girls, stop participating in organized sports as they get older. This can be due to changing interests, lack of motivation, or support. This is something KIL Football also notices.
"We see that the dropout rate among girls is higher than among boys as they get older," explains Aasvangen. The club is now starting its own project to see what we can do to keep the girls longer.
There are no other teams at the women's team level in the district, which means that the team has to travel far to play matches.
"For the women's A-team, sponsorship is important because there is a lot of travel and such, which incurs significant costs for the club," explains Aasvangen. "The A-team investment should be self-financing and not take away from the investment in children and youth."
The Importance of Sponsoring Women
"Young girls who have talent should have an offer in the district here at the top level, on an equal footing with the boys," states Morten Aasvangen. For Norske Backer, it is important that sponsorship funds are evenly distributed and preferably also to even out the differences.
"We have therefore chosen to increase the sponsorship funds we give to KIL Football because we believe it is important that women are also invested in and have good opportunities for further development," says Lerheim.
Aasvangen explains that part of the ambition for the women's A-team is that the players should primarily move up a notch.
"We want to be a development arena for players and are very keen to help deliver them higher up in the system. In recent years, we have sent four players to a higher level," he says proudly.
To contribute to equality and increased participation among women in football, but sports in general, it is important that women's clubs also receive sponsorship and support.
"We can ensure that there are offers for women at the top level as well, and not just on the men's side," says Aasvangen, and continues, "We are not necessarily very focused on just creating top players, but there should be an opportunity for those who want it. This is something Norske Backer strongly agrees with."
"The opportunity should be there for those who want to go this way, and we believe this should apply equally to women as to men, and something that can show and motivate the younger ones to see that it is actually possible to aim high in football if they want," says Lerheim.
"It is worth mentioning that Norske Backer, as part of Backer Elements and owned by NIBE Industries, has always focused on sustainable development, social responsibility, and innovation. By supporting women's and children's/youth football, we show our commitment to equality and inclusive growth. This sponsorship collaboration symbolizes our desire to contribute to a better society and future. Our support for KIL is a concrete expression of these values," says Gundersen.
What Do the Players Think?
Amalie Garsjø Brunes, Frida Grønhella, and Maria Holtet all agree that they come from sports-loving families, which has influenced the women.
"Dad has played a lot of football and took me to training, which inspired me to play myself," explains Holtet.
"We have both grown up with siblings who play football and have watched many matches," add Garsjø Brunes and Grønhella.
The four cheerful players are happy to share what it means to them to have the opportunity to play football at the top level.
"It means a lot. It started as a hobby, but it has become a lifestyle that you are lucky enough to do every single day," says Garsjø Brunes.
"That's why we are here in Kongsvinger, all of us are current or future NTG students who have been selected to play at the level we are at," explains Kristine Skrutvold Skjæret. They all agree that it is a social arena where you meet people from different places and become a close-knit group that plays together.
"We meet here because you are good enough and get to play with so many good players," elaborates Garsjø Brunes.
The women also notice that there is a difference between women and men in football and the barriers women face.
"You can't get away from the question without focusing on how the men are focused on. Women's football is often seen as something completely different that should not be prioritized, neither in Norway nor elsewhere. You are completely dependent on being invested in the same way as the boys," says Skrutvold Skjæret.
"That's why it is important to have people like Norske Backer, who are willing to invest in us as well. It gives motivation to be seen," elaborates Garsjø Brunes. The women hope that it can also create more interest from the outside, from people who see them and want women's football to rise and shine.
"We at Norske Backer are very much in favor of this, we think it is important to recognize women's football on an equal footing with the men. We must invest in women so that they have the opportunity, but also the motivation and ambition, to go far," says Lerheim.
Ambitions and Dreams
"It has always been a goal to work towards becoming as good as possible. I went to NTG, and it has been a dream for a long time," says Grønhella.
"And it's fun to play football. So I think I'll continue as long as it's fun and see how far I get. The women from the A-team have different goals and ambitions – some with clear and big dreams, and others with slightly less concrete goals. But one thing all four players agree on is that it is primarily important to do as well as possible for KIL and be a good and important player for the team. Furthermore, they also agree that it would be fun to play in the top league, and especially cool to play abroad.
Not all the women had specific teams as desired destinations, but they all agreed that reaching top teams and leagues in Norway or abroad would be the big goal.
"For me, it's Rosenborg," says Garsjø Brunes.
"A distant dream of playing for Barcelona, that would be the biggest," follows up Holtet.
"Maybe not a specific team or country, but there are some different teams in Europe that participate in the Champions League – so maybe the Champions League," says Grønhella.
It is clear that the women have big dreams they are working towards. For these dreams to be achievable, they depend on being invested in – both by individuals and by companies that want to sponsor or contribute in other ways.
"We want to help these girls achieve their big dreams, or at least help them on the way, and that is why we have chosen to sponsor KIL Football," concludes Lerheim.
We encourage everyone to attend the season opening on April 12 at 14:00 against Sandefjord here at Gjemselund!
