In 2016, when most sports marketing agencies were following conventional paths, Erwin Rader was already envisioning something extraordinary. Founded with what he describes as “a young and hungry team,” ErRa Sport Sponsoring Agency emerged not just as another sponsorship facilitator, but as a transformative force bridging continents, cultures, and sporting disciplines in ways previously unimaginable.
What began as a sports sponsorship agency has evolved into something far more ambitious: a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing talent development, event management, and cultural exchange. Rader’s vision extends beyond traditional boundaries, seeking to discover and professionally train young athletes while connecting global brands with authentic sporting experiences that resonate across diverse markets.
“ErRa is not only a sports sponsorship agency but also an event agency and an agency that seeks to find young talent and then train them professionally,” Rader explains, his enthusiasm evident as he describes the world-class coaching team behind his operation. This multifaceted approach reflects his understanding that true success in sports marketing requires depth beyond surface-level partnerships.
THE AUDACIOUS VISION 2029: STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Erwin Rader characteristically positioned himself one step ahead with his Vision 2029. This strategic foresight exemplifies his approach to business: anticipating trends before they become obvious, positioning for opportunities while others are still recognizing possibilities.
“I soon created Vision 2029. As you know, I want to be one step ahead,” Rader states with the confidence of someone who has consistently proven his ability to see around corners. His vision encompasses training world-class soccer players and skiers from the Middle East, recognizing the transformative power of producing elite athletes from unexpected regions.
The audacity of this vision becomes clear when considering the current landscape. Rader points to the example of AJ Ginnis, the Greek World Cup skier whose journey “from the beach to the silver medal at the Alpine World Ski Championships” demonstrates what’s possible when unconventional pathways meet professional dedication. The headline potential alone captures the imagination: imagine the global attention for a world-class skier emerging from the Middle East or India.
This vision extends beyond athletics into public health advocacy. Rader’s commitment to getting young people “away from smartphones and toward exercise and fitness” reflects a broader understanding of sports’ societal impact. His inclusion of Austrian art and culture sharing demonstrates the holistic thinking that separates visionaries from mere business operators.
NAVIGATING UNCHARTED TERRITORIES: THE PIONEER’S CHALLENGE
Rader’s journey hasn’t been without skepticism. His honest recounting of early reactions reveals the challenges faced by true innovators. When he initially pitched indoor skiing concepts in Kuwait, embassy officials responded with humor: “Mr. Rader, skiing in Kuwait is like a camel race in Vienna.”
The beauty of this story lies not in the initial rejection, but in Rader’s response. Rather than abandoning his vision, he embraced the comparison and reversed it. Today, he’s actively exploring bringing camel racing to Vienna, receiving enthusiastic responses from Austrian winegrowers interested in offering camel adventure rides in their vineyards. This exemplifies the mindset that transforms apparent obstacles into opportunities.
“In 2017, I was still mildly ridiculed. Skiing in Saudi Arabia, and what do we have today in 2025? Saudi Arabia hosted the Asia Winter Games in 2029,” Rader reflects, his vindication complete. This transformation from ridicule to recognition illustrates the trajectory of visionary leadership: what seems impossible today becomes inevitable tomorrow.
THE POWER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: BUILDING WORLD-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE
Central to ErRa’s ability to realize large-scale projects is Rader’s approach to strategic partnerships. His collaboration with Guy J.E. Cloutier, CEO of CTC Group, exemplifies how visionary strategy merges with technical excellence to create sustainable, cutting-edge winter sports infrastructure.
Cloutier brings over 40 years of international experience in winter sports, including two decades pioneering projects in China. His impressive portfolio includes L-Snow, the world’s largest snow dome and latest indoor snow park in Shanghai, concept design and technical services for several other snow dome projects including Qiaobo Ice and Snow World, Wanda and Sunac, the Ice and Speed oval facilities for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and other iconic projects around the world. His Middle Eastern expertise includes the concept for the Dubai Ice Rink at Dubai Mall for EMAAR Group.
Together, Rader and Cloutier marry visionary strategy with technical excellence to build sustainable, zero-carbon and cutting-edge winter sports infrastructure. This partnership demonstrates Rader’s understanding that transformative projects require both bold vision and world-class execution capabilities.
BUILDING BRIDGES: THE POWER OF AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS
Central to Rader’s success is his commitment to personal relationship building in an increasingly digital world. While many agencies operate through rotating contact systems, ErRa maintains consistent personal relationships with each client through his network of approximately 100 freelancers spanning from Austria to China, from India to Australia, from the Middle East to the USA.
“ErRa SportSponsoring agency supports customers from the initial inquiry to the conclusion of the contract, always with the same contact person,” Rader explains. “This builds trust with the customer and, unlike other agencies, means that customers are not supported by one employee today and another tomorrow, which is greatly appreciated by our customers.”
His networking philosophy recognizes the accelerating pace of global change: “Especially in our fast-paced world and with rapid global changes, networking has become an integral part of business life.” Yet he balances global reach with personal authenticity, understanding that technology enables connection but relationships require human investment.
STRATEGIC MATCHING: WHERE BRANDS MEET SPORTING PASSION
ErRa’s methodology prioritizes brand ambitions over prefabricated packages. “Companies share their goals and budgets; we tailor opportunities,” says Rader. From Formula 1’s global surge to Austrian rally drivers, skiing to soccer, ErRa aligns brands with bespoke platforms. Post-contract, clients receive ongoing value—like access to Austria’s 2026 Ski Flying World Championships.
Rather than pushing predetermined packages, Rader begins with understanding what companies have and what they want to achieve, including budget parameters. This client-centric approach ensures authentic alignment rather than forced partnerships. His agency then prepares previews tailored to specific client objectives, increasing the likelihood of successful long-term partnerships.
The scope of opportunities ErRa can facilitate demonstrates remarkable diversity, allowing for precise matching between brand objectives and sporting platforms across multiple disciplines and global markets.
GLOBAL IMPACT: MEASURING BEYOND METRICS
Rader quantifies success through visibility, tourism, and cultural exchange. His understanding of return on investment extends beyond traditional metrics to encompass cultural exchange, tourism development, and global publicity generation. Hosting World Cup races in Middle Eastern indoor ski halls (+50°C outside!) guarantees worldwide media frenzy.
He cites Kitzbühel’s Hahnenkamm race—”winter’s Super Bowl”—which reached 2 billion people in 2025 through direct or indirect contact, with 300 million watching live or recorded broadcasts. “Where else delivers such ROI?” The numbers are compelling and self-evident.
This global reach potential becomes even more significant when applied to Rader’s vision of developing Middle Eastern or Indian skiing talent. The novelty factor combined with elite performance would generate unprecedented publicity levels for associated brands and regions.
CULTIVATING CHAMPIONS: THE TALENT REVOLUTION
Rader’s athlete pipeline requires government collaboration across education, health, and sports sectors. “We conduct public trials nationwide, select talents, and train them in Austria,” he explains. His systematic approach involves governmental partnership and support, recognizing that transformative athletic development requires institutional support beyond private sector investment.
“I need and require the cooperation of the governments of the countries responsible for education, health, and sports,” Rader states. “They must take up my visions and ideas and support me in such a way that when I come to the region with the coaches and conduct trials to identify children who have the talent to become world-class athletes, we can also see the children and come.”
Future stars progress from European Cups to World Championships, culminating in World Cup events hosted in their home regions—a self-sustaining legacy. Once a local hero emerges, Rader plans to return to organize World Cup events in their home region, completing the circle from talent identification to global competition hosting.
BEYOND TRADITION: CAMEL RACING, FORMULA 1, AND THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE
While winter sports and soccer anchor ErRa, Rader eyes Formula 1’s boom and even camel racing’s potential. His partnership with Austrian winegrowers for vineyard camel rides exemplifies turning whimsy into opportunity. His recent exploration of camel racing represents the kind of creative thinking that has defined his career, transforming the Kuwait embassy’s dismissive comparison into a potential business opportunity.
His recognition of Formula 1’s current global boom and rising viewership demonstrates his ability to identify trending opportunities before they become saturated. This creative adaptability reflects his broader philosophy about opportunity recognition—where others see obstacles, Rader sees potential partnerships and untapped markets.
SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS: THE TRUST IMPERATIVE AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
“Long-term success hinges on transparency and shared wins,” Rader asserts. His philosophy guides every partnership, whether with brands, athletes, or sporting organizations, going beyond contractual obligations to encompass shared success metrics and aligned objectives.
One of his long-term and sustainable partnerships is with his friend and business entrepreneur, Gerd Saalfrank. Together they focus on people-to-people relations for all kinds of cultural implementations like film, music and art. Together they promote one of Vienna’s finest musicians: Robert Werner, pianist, composer and member of the Vienna State Opera.
Similarly, his alliance with Cloutier merges Rader’s global vision with CTC Group’s unique ice and snow expertise—ensuring facilities meet Olympic standards while advancing sustainable development. His advisory role in establishing and running professional sports associations demonstrates this collaborative approach, recognizing that successful sporting partnerships require operational excellence.
Additionally, Rader collaborates with Antowan Abdelmesih, Alkharaz Commercial owner, whose services include empowering investors and businesses with exclusive opportunities, guaranteed returns, and seamless transactions in Dubai and beyond. This partnership provides a gateway to high-value real estate, strategic investments, and global business success, further expanding ErRa’s comprehensive service ecosystem.
THE ROAD AHEAD: SPORT AS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
Rader predicts rising demand for cost-effective global advertising—a space where sports sponsorship excels. His observation that “more and more companies want to advertise worldwide at a reasonable price, and that is exactly what sports sponsorship offers” positions ErRa perfectly for continued growth in an increasingly cost-conscious global marketplace.
His positioning for the evolving sports sponsorship landscape relies on “ever-new ideas and visions,” maintaining the innovative thinking that has defined his career. The vindication of his early skiing predictions in Saudi Arabia provides credibility for his current seemingly audacious visions.
“Saudi Arabia’s 2029 Winter Games prove no vision is too bold,” he reflects. Through ErRa, brands join inspirational narratives, athletes become cultural ambassadors, and events forge global unity. In Rader’s world—sport transforms impossibility into legacy.
A LEGACY OF CONNECTION: THE FUTURE LANDSCAPE
Perhaps most importantly, Rader understands sport’s fundamental power as a connecting force. His concluding philosophy that “Sport connects and brings people together” encapsulates not just his business model, but his broader vision for positive global impact.
“I am not going with the flow, standing behind new ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem,” Rader states, summarizing the mindset that has enabled his consistent success in anticipating and creating market opportunities.
This understanding drives everything from his talent development initiatives to his cultural exchange programs, from his brand partnership strategies to his public health advocacy. Rader has built ErRa Sport Sponsoring Agency not just as a business, but as a platform for meaningful connection across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries.
His journey from ridiculed visionary to vindicated pioneer demonstrates that the most significant opportunities often lie in the spaces others dismiss as impossible. As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games and builds outdoor ski resorts in the Trojena region, Rader’s early vision of Middle Eastern winter sports development has transformed from fantasy to reality.
The future belongs to those who can see possibilities where others see obstacles, who can build bridges where others see divisions, and who can transform skepticism into opportunity. Erwin Rader and ErRa Sport Sponsoring Agency represent this rare combination of visionary thinking and practical execution, positioned to lead the continued evolution of global sports marketing while maintaining the human connections that make sport truly meaningful.
Through his work, brands don’t just sponsor athletes; they become part of stories that inspire global audiences. Athletes don’t just perform; they become cultural ambassadors building bridges between nations. Organizations don’t just host events; they create platforms for international understanding and celebration.
This is the legacy Erwin Rader is building: a world where sport truly connects and brings people together, creating opportunities for success that benefit everyone involved while advancing the greater good of global community and understanding.
