Many fans are skeptical about the DFL’s plans to raise additional millions of euros by getting an investor involved. Two DFL managers face the criticism – and make promises.
The plans for an investor to join the German Football League (DFL) continue to cause controversial discussions.
At an event organized by the alliance “Südtribüne Dortmund” and the board of the BVB fan department with around 300 guests in the stadium of the Bundesliga second team, DFL supervisory board chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke and DFL managing director Axel Hellmann campaigned for a fresh injection of capital from a strategic partner.
Hellmann referred to necessary modernization, especially in international marketing, and sees a need for investment: “It’s raining a bit on the roof, it’s got holes. But how do you get the roof tight again?”
Hellmann: No game day diversification
Watzke tried to take away the fans’ fears of too much influence from an investor. “I haven’t been fighting for the 50+1 rule for years now to let a Trojan horse in. We definitely don’t want any more kick-off times,” said the BVB managing director.
Hellmann was even clearer on this question: “The concern that the game day will be fanned out is a theoretical one. We could do that now. But we don’t do it because there is a football culture in Germany. A game day fanned out never exist.”
In the past few weeks, many football fans have made it clear at Bundesliga games that they reject the entry of an investor. The supporters’ arguments in the discussion were just as clear as the fans’ banners in the stadiums. “There are a lot of fears and concerns among the fans with this construct. It’s about classic topics such as match day schedules and venues,” commented Jakob Scholz, chairman of the BVB fan department.
Two-thirds majority required for implementation
The plan provides for the future investor to acquire 12.5 percent of the marketing of the national and international Bundesliga media rights for a period of 20 years. In the next step, these would be outsourced to a subsidiary called “DFL MediaCo GmbH & Co. KGaA”. Watzke referred to the lack of income in the past Corona years: “Corona with all its effects is responsible for the fact that we now have a need for investment.”
The deal is intended to bring fresh capital of around two billion euros to the league, 85 percent of which is to flow into earmarked investments in future fields and to strengthen the stability of the DFL. Only 15 percent of the total amount – around 300 million euros – is to be given to the 36 clubs for free use. “It cannot seriously be said that we are flooding the market with a lot of money,” commented Hellmann and spoke of a “homeopathic dose” for the clubs.
In two rounds of talks with the club representatives on May 12th and 15th, the concept developed over the past few months will be discussed and the offers of possible strategic partners will be presented. At the extraordinary DFL general meeting on May 24, the clubs will decide whether further negotiations with individual interested parties will take place on the basis of the selected offers. A two-thirds majority is required to implement the plan. If this is achieved, the process could be completed by mid-July.