For eight years, Dietmar Hopp had the majority of votes at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim thanks to an exception. This has now been transferred back to the association.
In the absence of Dietmar Hopp, the majority of the voting rights of the long-standing patron of the Bundesliga soccer club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim have been transferred back to the parent club.
A corresponding motion by the board of directors was accepted by a large majority at the general meeting of the association on Monday in Sinsheim. Of the 175 voting members present, 169 voted for the transfer of the majority of votes without compensation from the Spielbetriebs GmbH to the eV. With two abstentions, there were only four dissenting votes. TSG is thus returning to the 50+1 rule after eight years.
The regulation, which only applies to German professional football, basically states that the decision-making majority must always remain with the parent club when investing. This is to prevent clubs – such as in England – from being completely sold.
Millions of hop
Hopp, who has invested a mid three-digit million amount in the club over the years, received the majority of votes from the Kraichgauers on July 1, 2015 thanks to a special permit granted by the German Football League.
Since then, the 82-year-old has also had 96 percent of the votes thanks to his million-dollar contribution, through which he holds 96 percent of the shares in the GmbH. While Hopp retains its capital shares, the association now has the majority of votes again. There are currently only two Bundesliga clubs with a special status outside of the 50+1 rule – Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg.
“Before and after the special permit was granted, we always acted in the spirit of 50+1. The special status was never intended to undermine or undermine this regulation,” Hopp had already announced at the beginning of March. He justified the return of the majority of votes by saying that his majority stake had repeatedly caused mistrust and hostilities.