Financial Troubles at the Master's: Shifts in Capital Head Towards Neckarsulm - Captain departing for Neckarsulm.
In a shocking turn of events, German handball star Antje Döll has left financially struggling HB Ludwigsburg to join Sport-Union Neckarsulm in the Handball Bundesliga. The move comes after Ludwigsburg's bankruptcy and subsequent exclusion from major European and domestic competitions for the 2025/26 season.
HB Ludwigsburg, last season's Women's Handball Bundesliga champions, filed for insolvency in July 2025. This financial crisis led to their disqualification from the EHF Champions League Women 2025/26 and the German Handball Super Cup. The Women's Handball Bundesliga (HBF) officially withdrew Ludwigsburg from the 2025 Handball Super Cup, replacing them with Thüringer HC.
The insolvency has caused HB Ludwigsburg to terminate player contracts, leading to many athletes seeking transfers elsewhere. While specific details about Antje Döll's transfer are not explicitly stated, given Ludwigsburg's financial collapse, it is reasonable to conclude that key players have moved or will move to other clubs.
Döll, the national team captain, described the financial collapse of HB Ludwigsburg as a "shock" for the entire handball world. She will now be playing for Sport-Union Neckarsulm, a team that finished ninth out of twelve in the previous Handball Bundesliga season.
The transfer of Döll to Sport-Union Neckarsulm was made possible by special financial support from several sponsors and partners. The home World Cup is scheduled to start around three months after the announcement of Döll's transfer.
Initially, Döll was "very sad and angry" about the situation at HB Ludwigsburg. However, she is now looking forward to a new chapter in her career with Sport-Union Neckarsulm. The financial crisis at HB Ludwigsburg has created a difficult situation for handball players, but Döll's move demonstrates that even in challenging times, opportunities can still arise.
EC countries could potentially see a shift in their employment policy, as financially struggling teams might need to offer more competitive salary packages to attract top athletes, like Antje Döll, during periods of financial crisis. This situation in handball may set a precedent for other sports and their employment policies.
The influx of talented players, such as Döll, into teams like Sport-Union Neckarsulm could boost the competitive landscape in the Handball Bundesliga, possibly leading to a surge in public interest and participation in sports within Germany.
