Claus Vogt, President of VfB Stuttgart, has called for a repeat of the vote on the entry of an investor into the DFL.
“Our understanding of democracy – also in football – should be: the majority decides”Vogt wrote on Network X: “But if it cannot be ensured that a democratically achieved vote result is correct, we should, in the spirit of democracy and in the spirit of our football, discuss with each other whether a new, transparent vote of all 36 clubs in the DFL is necessary. I mean: yes, it is necessary!” According to its own information, VfB Stuttgart voted for the investor entry in December. Vogt also referred to the fan protests. “This would be a first step that also takes the interests of the fans seriously and can calm the situation in the stadiums.”he wrote.
According to information from the Sportschau, at least one other first division club, alongside VfB Stuttgart, had previously spoken out in favor of repeating the vote and addressed this suggestion in an open letter to the other clubs in the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga.
Martin Kind’s possible “yes” caused controversy
In the past few weeks there have been protests by organized fan groups against the investment of investors in numerous stadiums in the Bundesliga, the 2nd Bundesliga and the 3rd League. In addition to the general criticism of commercialization and feared investor influence, fans also criticize the conduct of the vote on December 11, 2023 in Frankfurt. The necessary two-thirds majority came with the smallest possible number of yes votes.
Among the 24 votes from the 36 DFL clubs for investor entry was probably that of Hannover 96. In this case, managing director Martin Kind would have acted against the instructions of the parent club Hannover 96 eV, which fans criticize as undermining the 50+1 rule. Kind has not yet disclosed how he voted.
The Fan Scenes Germany Alliance had already called for “a new vote with complete transparency and compliance with the 50+1 rule” in January. The DFL has not yet commented publicly on the protests. In December, the league association described the decision as “effectively and lawfully taken”.
Osnabrück calls for the abolition of secret votes
Michael Welling, managing director of the second division club VfL Osnabrück, announced in the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” an application to the DFL to abolish secret votes in the DFL – with the exception of the election of people to offices. “This is the only way we can formally guarantee that the club representatives will implement the club’s and members’ wishes in DFL votes and act in accordance with the idea of 50+1.”said Welling. The vote is in connection with the close result “wasn’t helpful for acceptance”.