Candidacy for the presidency
BVB power struggle: Watzke decision was made
13.08.2025 – 1:05 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke wants to become BVB president. But his former friend and current adversary wants to stay in office differently than planned. Now there is power struggle.
Hans-Joachim Watzke wants to become President of Borussia Dortmund. The 66-year-old officially announced his candidacy on Wednesday. So far, the managing director of the outsourced BVB capital company had left open whether he would compete.
Observers now fear a long election campaign that could shake BVB. Because Watzke’s former friend and incumbent Reinhold Lunow had surprisingly announced that contrary to his previous internal promises, they wanted to start election again.
“At our next general meeting, I stand for the election as President of Borussia Dortmund. So I follow the request of the BVB committees,” said Watzke in a message. Economic Council and Council of Elders had already agreed to support.
Lunow, who celebrates his 72nd birthday on Wednesday, was informed about the decision in a personal conversation. Despite the new situation, he wants to stick to his candidacy. “My job is to ensure the best possible solution for the association, and there were and gives developments that I perceive, evaluate and draw corresponding conclusions. I would like to do justice to the responsibility of the office,” Lunow recently said to the “Schwatzgelb.de” portal.
The background is said to be the controversial Rheinmetall deal from last year. Watzke and the busy marketing director Carsten Cramer had signed an advertising contract with the armaments group, which brings BVB around 20 million euros over three years. Lunow initially agreed to the deal and then moved to the critic’s camp at the past general meeting.
Watzke has been head of BVB’s management since 2005 and wants to resign this office before the general meeting in November. “It would be an honor for me if I could continue to support our association in this important office after 20 years of operational activity,” he said.