Fan scene goes to the barricades: turning point in German football: DFL allows investor

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An earthquake is taking place in German club football: on Monday, representatives of the 36 clubs from the first and second division voted in favor of the entry of an external investor. From now on, DFL management may negotiate an investment deal worth billions with interested parties. The proposal received the necessary two-thirds majority at the general meeting.

24 of the 36 DFL clubs voted yes, ten voted no and two abstained. The big Bundesliga clubs – Bayern, BVB, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Frankfurt – who have long peddled for a financial injection in view of international competition, led the charge for acceptance. Only three Bundesliga clubs opposed the application. SC Freiburg, Union Berlin and 1. FC Cologne.

The fans have weight in Germany

In no other country is the importance of the active fan scene as great as in Germany. The Bundesliga not only has the highest average attendance in Europe, but also the most participation from its fans.

In Germany, clubs are actually clubs, that is, they belong to the club members, including the fans. This is made possible by the 50+1 rule, which is an integral part of German fan identity. It states that no investor may take over the majority in a club and thus de facto ensures the participation of the fan scene.

Football as a commercialized product à la Premier League, as a vessel of a foreign state à la PSG, is despised in the corners. And ‘constructs’ such as RB Leipzig or TSG Hoffenheim, who try to undermine ’50+1′, are being intensively fought for.

‘The unique character of German football has been thrown overboard’

The move to find an external donor was strongly condemned in advance by the fan groups. Last weekend they made their rejection clear with numerous banners and actions. The supporters are therefore very shocked that their clubs have done it alone and have admitted an investor against their will.

‘Money comes before everything. The unique character of German football is being thrown overboard in a hopeless rat race with the Premier League,” said the fan alliance “Our Curve.” In the comment columns of the individual clubs there was a flood of criticism and incomprehension from within their own ranks, and many fans felt betrayed.

The multi-billion dollar deal is expected to be completed in March 2024

But those responsible don’t care much about that. DFL bosses are now starting talks with potential investors. It is planned that all of the DFL’s media rights will be outsourced to a subsidiary and the shares will be sold to an external donor. By March 2024, a company must be found that will pump approximately one billion euros into the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga in a twenty-year partnership. There are already several interested parties.

The DFL’s specific goal is to improve the marketing of the Bundesliga. 600 million euros will flow to “digitalization and internationalization”. This includes setting up your own streaming service, better foreign marketing and more legal protection against piracy. Another 100 million will be used to “promote foreign travel.”

Stand up to the Premier League

“We want to become more competitive as a league and secure second place behind the Premier League in an international comparison,” said Oliver Frankenbach, CFO of Eintracht Frankfurt. “That is why this step is necessary.”

Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen echoes the same sentiment: “As a league, we need to show our face much more internationally, and we now have the opportunity to do that.” Now it is important to get the fans involved, he explains. “You have to explain clearly to the fans that we are not talking about selling shares, but about sharing the proceeds – with clear red lines for the partner.”

These red lines are intended to prevent the investor from exercising too much influence. According to the DFL, they are drawn when designing the game plan, when moving games abroad or when introducing play-offs. But will the financier accept this so easily?

Source : Blick