The German Football League (DFL) is once again drawing criticism and questioning as it attempts to secure a billion-euro investment deal, the third time around. With the annual general meeting fast approaching, tension is in the air, and critics are growing louder by the day.
Fans have made their opinions known, and their disapproval is making quite the ruckus. During a recent Bundesliga match between Mainz and Freiburg, supporters did not hold back, voicing their discontent through chants like "To Hell with DFL!" and banners advocating for eco-friendly football and against private equity in clubs and associations.
United syndicates of supporters are vocal in their opposition. Groups like "Unsere Kurve" have publicly denounced the DFL's investment deal, with their chairman Jost Peter calling the strategy "problematic." He argues that the proposed plan would strengthen the top tier of the league, yet fail to significantly improve the bottom two-thirds of clubs, a situation already exacerbated by the unfair distribution of TV money.
Debates within various clubs have grown heated. Some clubs, like Werder Bremen, have received pushback from their own supporters for supporting the DFL's deal. Fans chanted, "Quick money from investors instead of creative solutions? That's not our Green-White way. You're not a Werderite!"
Clubs like Hoffenheim and 1. FC Heidenheim have remained neutral, while Hoffenheim's managing director Denni Strich has expressed positivity towards engaging with a strategic partner in constructive dialogue with the fan community. 1. FC Köln, however, remains adamantly opposed, with Vice President Eckhard Sauren questioning the necessity of private investors in German professional football's development.
Freiburg initially backed the DFL's proposal but has since changed course, expressing intentions to fund the slimmed-down investment through internal financing.
Borussia Dortmund's BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke defended the DFL's decision, citing the necessity of investing in foreign marketing and piracy prevention. However, acknowledging opposition from clubs like Köln, he admitted, "I simply cannot understand that."
Insight
The latest disagreement centers around the future of Bundesliga clubs' TV revenue, which is under threat due to new regulations affecting the distribution of income from domestic media contracts beginning in 2025/26. The changes will result in a decrease of around €50 million per season in TV revenue distribution, with an additional €20 million invested in each of the following two seasons to compensate for the reduction[1].
Sources:
- (German)
- (German)
- (German)
