Athletic icon Ulli Potofski has passed away - Renowned sports journalist, Ulli Potofski, has passed away.
Ulli Potofski, a renowned figure in German sports broadcasting, passed away at the age of 73 on an unspecified date in 2025. Potofski's death was reported by various media outlets, including the "Bild" newspaper and his long-time employer RTL.
Potofski's career in sports journalism spanned over four decades, making him one of the defining faces of sports reporting since the 1980s. He began his career at Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in the 1970s and moved to RTL in 1984, where he pioneered private sports broadcasting in Germany. From 2006, Potofski was active at the sports broadcaster Sky, focusing on Bundesliga football and Wimbledon coverage.
Throughout his career, Potofski covered a wide range of sports events. He reported on Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga games, Wimbledon tennis tournaments, boxing matches, Formula 1 races, and more. Additionally, he was involved with the management of sports rights at RTL for boxing, tennis, and Formula 1 during the 1980s.
Potofski's contributions to German television were not limited to sports events. He was a regular on the RTL show "Let's Dance" and ran a daily football podcast called "Herz, Seele, Ball" in his later years. Apart from sports events, Potofski also covered the Domino Day, which was broadcast annually by the Cologne TV station from 1998 to 2009.
In recognition of his work, Potofski received the Bambi award in the 1980s as the most popular TV sports moderator. He was a unique and pioneering sports commentator, actively reporting until shortly before his death after a long illness.
Potofski's partner, Nadja, thanked her for her loyalty "for over ten years" on Instagram on July 6. The German Press Agency (DPA) was informed of his death by his former wife, Monika Potofski.
[1] Potofski's career timeline [2] RTL announces Potofski's death [3] Bild newspaper reports Potofski's death [4] Potofski's final podcast episode [5] Obituaries for Ulli Potofski
[1] "Despite his deteriorating health, Ulli Potofski continued his work in sports journalism, even hosting a daily podcast about football until the end."
[2] "As one of the most versatile sports analysts, Potofski covered a multitude of sports such as football, basketball, tennis, and more throughout his extensive career."
[3] "In contrast to his energetic coverage of various sports events, Potofski's love for sports seemed to wane as he said, 'I'm not going to be able to do it:' regarding covering a sports event in his later years."
