Because of a sponsoring at FC Bayern
When Wolfgang Grupp and Uli Hoeneß had a dispute
08.07.2025 – 7:16 p.m.Reading time: 4 min.
Wolfgang Grupp is one of the most famous entrepreneurs in Germany. In the 1980s he almost ended up on the FC Bayern jersey.
Wolfgang Grupp and Uli Hoeneß are two -strong men with a clear plan for their company or their club. In the 1980s, both would almost have become a partner. But in the end nothing came of it. However, both tell the story of the talks differently.
According to Uli Hoeneß, Grupp wanted to go to the Bayern jersey with his company Trigema. “I sold my sausages, he his textiles and then we kept walking,” said Hoeneß during a panel discussion a few times. “Can you imagine that we will go to the jersey with Trigema?”, Grupp asked at the time and asked how much that would cost. Hoeneß, who actually had other plans, replied: 1.5 million marks. Bayern Munich only got 900,000 from the previous main sponsor Iveco. With the high sum, Hoeneß Grupp actually wanted to deter. But to the surprise of the Bayern maker, he agreed. “Mr. Hoeneß, we do that!” He said.
At the time, Hoeneß had not spoken to Adidas, the supplier of today’s record champion. For Adidas, Trigema was a competitive company as a textile manufacturer. At the time, Commodore also asked a company that made computers, among other things. This was ready to pay the same price. Also to avoid stress with Adidas, Hoeneß ultimately said Commodore. “I had the opportunity to write a letter to the Lord Grupp that we couldn’t have done it. But no, I idiot decided to visit him and tell him personally.”
Hoeneß drove to Grupp with his treasurer Fritz Scherer, who received the two in his house. “He was obviously of the opinion that we are now signing the contract here,” said Hoeneß. Group table and eat in the knight’s hall. Hoeneß remembered: “It was a long table with 20 seats. He was sitting at the top. He said: ‘Come in, gentlemen!'”
Grupps CFO presented the check for over 1.5 million marks. “I thought: for God’s sake,” said Hoeneß. Grupp then said: “So gentlemen, we have now decided that we are now working with Bayern Munich for three years.” Hoeneß, in turn, spoke to the entrepreneur of a “little misunderstanding”. One did not come to sign the contract, but to inform him that the deal could not come about.
“He thought we were crazy,” said Hoeneß at the panel discussion. The third time, Grupp then noticed that the Bayern patron had actually not come to complete the business. “You are really serious?”, According to Hoeneß, Grupp is said to have asked. Grupp then shouted on his affirmative: “Get out, get out! I never want to see her again.”
Wolfgang Grupp has remembered the whole story differently. “Of course, what Mr. Hoeneß says is not true,” said 83-year-old a few weeks ago in “Tim Gabel Podcast”. “He represents that something positively for him.” Grupp said: At that time Trigema made breast advertising for 13 different Bundesliga clubs. For Grupp, according to its own statements, it would have been “the coronation” to be a jerseys at Bayern.
They asked the Munich team, made an appointment and invited for lunch. Negotiations and an agreement had been achieved. Bayern had wanted the highest amount to date that was ever paid for breast advertising: 1.5 million marks. “And I granted it,” said Grupp.