3 Cities, 1 Team, 1 Title: How the FTG Over 35s Women are Funding Their Way to the National Championship

FTG Frankfurt’s Women’s 35+ team are the 2026 German Champions. The squad, made up of players from Frankfurt, Trier, and Freiburg, claimed the title at the final tournament in Saarbrücken after a season in which they not only gave everything on the court but also demonstrated what modern club sports can look like: powered by community support, crowdfunding, and a determination to take matters into their own hands.

Die Ü35-Damen der FTG Frankfurt feiern den Deutschen Meistertitel 2026 in Saarbrücken.
FTG Frankfurt’s Women’s 35+ team celebrate their 2026 German Championship title in Saarbrücken. Photo: FTG Frankfurt

In amateur sports, the path to success is rarely a straight line. More often than not, it is paved with endless WhatsApp messages, car shares, and the constant question: "Who is actually organising all of this?"

The Over 35s women's team from the FTG joint sports community (Frankfurt) take this commitment to the absolute extreme. The squad consists of players based in Frankfurt, Trier, and Freiburg. Despite these distances, they secured the South-West German Championship title this season and are now facing their ultimate highlight of the year: competing in the finals of the German Championship 2026 in Saarbrücken.

Building a team from three different federal states is virtually unthinkable in regular league operations. In the Over 35s category, however, regulations permit joint sports communities spanning across different locations. For the players, this offers the perfect opportunity to revive old connections. "There are players who have known each other since their youth and played together in Trier. Paths diverge, but they always find their way back to each other. What unites us is our passion for the sport. This way, we can combine our athletic love for basketball with quality time spent together," says Jeanne Wilson, a player on the team, in an interview with the spized Club Academy.

Behind this sporting romance, however, lies hardcore organisational work. Training camps, friendly matches, and tournaments have to be planned meticulously, as Jeanne reveals: "Our WhatsApp chat is constantly exploding with coordination dates. We are all working professionals, and we have mothers in the team. We manage everything entirely on our own — from accommodation and travel expenses right down to paying the referees for friendly matches."

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The financial hurdle in women's basketball

Anyone competing in a German Championship has sporting ambitions. After winning the bronze medal the previous year, the team’s goal for the tournament in Saarbrücken was clearly defined: reach the final and compete for gold.

However, as sporting success increases, so do the costs. A multi-day tournament with eight teams does not only mean high travel and accommodation expenses, but also requires appropriate equipment. A single set of jerseys is simply not enough for a long tournament weekend – one light and one dark kit are mandatory.

Finding traditional sponsors, however, is often frustrating, especially in women’s amateur sports. Jeanne addresses a structural problem that many clubs are familiar with in the interview: “It is actually very difficult to find support. There is men’s basketball, and they are always first in line. Then come the women. Money is tighter for us, but costs for referees, court time, and regulations are just as high. So we decided: we’ll take matters into our own hands.”

The Solution: Crowdfunding and Teamwear from spized

Instead of financing the tournament out of their own pocket or making sporting compromises, the team chose a modern approach: a crowdfunding campaign via our partner fairplaid. The goal was to involve the community in order to best prepare for participation in the German Championships and to finance the necessary equipment. 

The response to the campaign ultimately exceeded all expectations: thanks to more than 30 supporters, 1,565 euros were raised within just three weeks. This meant that the originally set target of 1,500 euros was even surpassed. “At the beginning, we absolutely did not expect to reach the target amount – especially not in such a short time frame,” says Jeanne, adding that reaching 100 percent was a “truly goosebump moment” for the team: “Because we saw that all our hard work had really paid off.” 

Another positive side effect: the campaign quickly developed into a community project and brought the basketball players even closer together as a team. After all, its implementation required intensive teamwork. In particular, content was created for Instagram together before and after every training session to draw attention to the initiative.

FTG Frankfurt ist Deutscher Meister
The motto of the women from Frankfurt: "One Team." Photo: FTG Frankfurt.

Gold crowns the crowdfunding campaign

Backed by the success of the campaign, FTG traveled to Saarbrücken fully equipped. “It is a huge relief to know that we can travel to the German Championship with two cool, matching sets of jerseys,” Jeanne had said before the tournament. 

And that relief paid off: the team was able to focus entirely on the basketball. In the end, the players achieved what they had been working toward for months: FTG Frankfurt’s Women’s 35+ team are the 2026 German Champions. At the finals tournament in Saarbrücken, the team left nothing to chance. With three wins in three preliminary-round games against MSG Baskets/BG Bonn (63–31), MSG Wasserburg (51–42), and MSG Wolfenbüttel (57–18), FTG secured its place in the final. There, they defeated BG Litzendorf, who had also been unbeaten up to that point, 51–46. 

“It was a major investment, and to be rewarded with gold is simply outstanding. The title is a fantastic way to finish it all. This entire journey has been incredibly emotional. There were definitely a few tears of joy,” Jeanne said, summing up what the weekend meant to the team. 

And the title is not meant to be a one-time statement: “We’re staying together as a team. We have no intention of giving up the trophy.”

Conclusion: What Clubs Can Learn from FTG Frankfurt’s Campaign

The story of the FTG women’s team is a powerful reminder that limited budgets do not have to stand in the way of sporting ambitions. Through exceptional team spirit, strong organizational efforts, and the smart use of crowdfunding, the team created the best possible conditions for success at the German Championship. 

For Jeanne, one thing stands above all else: the courage to try new approaches. The experience of running the crowdfunding campaign showed her how much can be achieved when a team works together toward a common goal and is willing to take responsibility. At the same time, she has a clear message for other teams facing similar financial challenges: “Give it a try and be brave. In the end, you have nothing to lose. That all-or-nothing aspect is exactly what makes crowdfunding so special. You grow through the tasks and challenges you take on—and as athletes, we’re always ready for a challenge.” 

At spized, we are also proud to have supported this team on its journey to the title—with custom jerseys that helped the FTG women present themselves as a unified and professional team on the big stage in Saarbrücken. Winning the championship was the perfect finishing touch to this remarkable story. 

Find out more about how you can easily finance your new jerseys and club equipment through our partnership with fairplaid.

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