Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Kempinski Hotels proudly announces its newest brand ambassador: Michael van Gerwen, the triple Darts World Champion. In a ceremony held at the esteemed Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group formalized its partnership with the 34-year-old Dutch darts phenomenon. Van Gerwen’s journey in the elite circles of darts began at the tender age of 13, and he made history by clinching the World Masters title at just 17.
The popularity of this versatile game has surged in recent decades, witnessing a remarkable increase in both amateur enthusiasts and international competition aficionados. With its universal appeal, televised darts events, such as the World Darts Championships, consistently draw an average viewership of two million. Testament to its growing stature, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has announced a staggering annual prize pool of USD 20 million.
“Since my early age, I have been fascinated by this game, which is easy to play, but extremely difficult to master on a professional level,” states the Dutchman. “Focus on the performance is key to each throw, and mental effort is even higher than physical effort. Only through intense and constant mental training am I able to stay calm and balance my tension, which brought me to where I am today.”
Van Gerwen’s televised breakthrough came in 2012 when he secured the PDC World Grand Prix title, defeating Mervyn King 6-4 in a gripping final. Since then, he has established an unparalleled dominance in the PDC circuit, clinching an impressive 47 major titles, including three coveted World Championships. Known affectionately as ‘Mighty Mike’ or the ‘Green Machine,’ Van Gerwen has triumphed in virtually every significant tournament, boasting an enviable tally of 36 European Tour victories, along with 16 triumphs in the World Series, Premier League, The Masters, Champions League, World Matchplay, and UK Open. With his illustrious track record, he stands as the second most successful player in the annals of the Professional Darts Corporation.
“It gives us great pride to be partnering with Michael van Gerwen as our new brand ambassador”, states René Nijhof, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kempinski Hotels S.A. “Kempinski stands for focus on beautiful performances, precision in quality and service, craftsmanship, as well as its commitment to being best in class in every aspect of hospitality – values we definitely share with Michael. Michael shares similar passions for outperforming the competition and brings this commitment to the centre stage, aligning seamlessly with Kempinski’s vision to elevate itself to the next level.”
And he added, “Michael will add to our brand awareness and increase visibility of the Kempinski brand throughout his immense presence at the Dart World Championships and his constant appearance on TV.”
“Even though travelling can be exhausting sometimes, especially when you are always on the road like I am, I still never get tired of discovering new destinations and staying at high class hotels”, says Michael van Gerwen, “Over the past years, Kempinski Hotels have been home to me away from home and I have enjoyed staying at many of their outstanding properties. For me this is an iconic brand which has stood out over more than 125 years for its elegant hospitality, high-end quality, fabulous and personal service and pioneering spirit. I am very proud to be associated to this world famous brand.”
The upcoming highlight on his schedule is the PDC European Tour 2024, scheduled from March 30th to April 1st at Zenith in Munich, Germany. Michael is happily married to his wife, Daphne, and is a proud father of two.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
