Fans against DFL investor deal
Bochum’s Asano snacks on protest chocolate and scores
December 16, 2023, 5:56 p.m
There is great anger among fans about the Bundesliga’s investor deal. There are protests in all stadiums. However, unlike the day before in Paderborn, they remain peaceful. Asano from Bochum is happy about a thrown chocolate coin and then hits the goal.
The fans openly vented their anger and frustration after the agreement for an investor deal was reached. From the mood boycott to tennis balls and chocolate thalers thrown onto the field, as well as abusive chants, pyros and a clear message via banner in all Bundesliga stadiums to the German Football League (DFL): “We will not be part of your deal – fuck DFL! “. The fact that the 36 professional clubs with the necessary majority gave the DFL the mandate to enter into concrete negotiations with a strategic marketing partner last Monday triggered the expected and partly already announced reactions, especially in the organized fan scene.
In Bochum, VfL’s game against 1. FC Union Berlin had to be interrupted. After twelve minutes, fans of the already extremely traditional Iron Team from East Berlin had thrown tennis balls and – in keeping with the pre-Christmas season – chocolate thalers onto the lawn.
Asano made use of this.
(Photo: IMAGO/Revierfoto)
While Bochum’s offensive player Takuma Asano enjoyed one of the sweet thalers, referee Sven Jablonski interrupted the game for four minutes until the field was cleared of the objects again. The Japanese later scored the opening goal for Bochum in the 3-0 (1-0) win against Union deep in stoppage time in the first half. A direct connection between chocolate coins and gate could not be proven. However, there was a nice story surrounding the fans’ peaceful protests on Saturday.
Protests in all Bundesliga stadiums
Chocolate thalers also flew onto the pitch during the SV Darmstadt game, but the game against VfL Wolfsburg was interrupted because pyrotechnics were set off in the visitors’ block. As elsewhere, it wasn’t just the DFL that was criticized. “Our vote should have prevented the DFL investor,” said a poster from the Darmstadt fans.
The BVB fans also protested.
(Photo: picture alliance/dpa)
Fans of both teams also protested against the planned investor entry into the DFL during the 1:1 (1:1) draw between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund. “No to investors in the DFL!” was the announcement on a leaflet that Augsburg fans distributed before the game. “Another football is possible, it just has to be wanted.” In the stadium, both fan scenes unfurled banners with the identical statement: “We will not be part of your deal – screw the DFL!”
Sebastian Hoeneß: “A fine line”
Ultimately there was the necessary two-thirds majority in the vote. A financial investor should pay up to one billion euros for a percentage share of the TV revenue. The contract should have a maximum term of 20 years.
“Both have their place. The art lies in bringing both together,” emphasized VfB Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß on Friday. On the one hand, it’s about not losing touch with international football, but also “definitely not losing contact” with the fans, who are “everything crucial.” “It’s a fine line.” You have to listen very carefully to what the fans’ concerns are.
“We have fans in Leverkusen, but also in Spain, Argentina and Japan. We have to have a perspective to keep the tradition, but also to develop a vision because we are fighting in a football jungle, with La Liga, Premier League “, League A and Serie A,” emphasized colleague Xabi Alonso from league leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Both teams will only get to experience the fans’ reactions first-hand this Sunday, when VfB competes at FC Bayern and Bayer Eintracht Frankfurt.
The protests escalated in Paderborn on Friday
There were already protests on Friday. The supporters at the Bundesliga game between Borussia Mönchengladbach ended their previously demonstrative silence after twelve minutes by shouting “shitty DFL” and throwing counterfeit money onto the field. The game against SV Werder Bremen was also interrupted for a few minutes.
The second division game between SC Paderborn and Hansa Rostock even had to be interrupted twice. There were also momentous fan riots. There are said to have been an unprecedented number of injured Hansa supporters and police officers. In the first twelve minutes, with the fans as the “twelfth man”, it remained quiet in many stadiums in the Bundesliga and 2nd league.
Sky expert Dietmar Hamann expressed understanding for the DFL decision. “We have maintained the 50+1 for many years. You have to look at what is happening in England, Italy and France. There are private investors in there. At some point we have to open up in some way. I think the alternative would be “If it hadn’t gone through that the first and second leagues would separate,” said Hamann. Above all, he hopes for more professionalization, especially with regard to foreign marketing.