DHB.de - Innovative Drupal Solution for German Handball

The German Handball Federation (DHB) commissioned adesso to completely relaunch its digital platform based on Drupal 10. The project included the migration of 65,000 pieces of content, the integration of external APIs (handball.net), the implementation of a Solr-based search function, and the development of innovative features such as detailed player profiles and event calendars. The new platform was launched on schedule in December 2024 and serves as the digital home for over 750,000 handball enthusiasts during the 2025 World Championship.

Project Goals

The project’s main objectives included developing a modern, responsive platform that functions optimally on all devices, as well as significantly improving the user experience for fans, players, and all handball stakeholders. In addition, the goal was to seamlessly integrate live data and game statistics and to create a future-proof technical foundation for upcoming major events.

Key achievements included the successful migration of 65,000 pieces of content without any data loss and the implementation of a 100% responsive design using Bootstrap 5. The new platform features advanced search functionality powered by Solr technology and faceted filtering, while automated content workflows via the Paragraphs module significantly streamline editorial work. The entire system was implemented in compliance with the GDPR and launched in time for the 2025 World Handball Championship.

Challenges

The extreme time pressure posed by the tight deadline ahead of the 2025 World Cup presented one of the biggest challenges, while at the same time 65,000 pieces of content had to be migrated from the legacy system without errors. Real-time synchronization with the handball.net API for up-to-date scores and statistics required a complex technical integration. In addition, the platform had to be designed to handle high traffic spikes during World Championship games, while optimally serving various user groups with their differing requirements. Editors needed maximum flexibility for easy content creation during ongoing tournaments, which added further complexity to the system architecture.

For more information please visit www.adesso.de