Hertha managing director Thomas Herrich has to get money and collateral to secure the license Photo: City Press GbR
By Roberto Lamprecht and Paul Gorgas
Hertha is fighting for survival – and above all for the DFL license.
The Berlin Bundesliga team must prove to the league association that they will remain solvent in the coming season. Biggest obstacle: the 40 million euro bond, which is due in the fall.
Those responsible for managing director Thomas Herrich (59) now have a new plan to quickly get much-needed fresh money. The “Tagesspiegel” first reported on it.
The consideration: an early extension of the contract with rights marketer “Sportfive”, which ends in 2025. In addition to a bonus for signing a new contract, a so-called “signing fee”, this could also result in advance payments from future earnings.
For comparison: Hertha is said to have already received a signing fee of EUR 25 million for the early extension until 2019 in 2008. In 2014, the next early extension of the contract until 2025 followed, again a two-digit million amount is said to have flowed.
If it comes to an early extension again, it should again be a term of at least ten years and a signing fee including an advance payment in the double-digit million range. Fast money, which is vital for Hertha.
At the same time, the club must continue to cede shares of income from sponsorships and box seats in the stadium to Sportfive. Previously, Hertha’s new club management around President Kay Bernstein (42) was said to have considered not extending the Sportfive contract and marketing themselves in the future.
But in the fight for the license, every euro counts.