Reprimands fans after protests
The DFL’s search for big money continues
March 1, 2024, 2:46 p.m
The investor deal is history, but the German Football League already has new irons in the fire: The DFL is still looking for ways to get fresh money. “Internal financing” or “external financing” are thrown into the room – and the fans are warned.
After the failed investor deal, the search for fresh money at the German Football League (DFL) continues. “We are certainly not stopping our work, the partner process was by no means the only topic on our agenda,” said DFL boss Steffen Merkel to “Kicker”. The management has been “thinking about how we can develop the league in the interests of the 36 clubs for a long time and independently of the search for a strategic partner”.
Merkel cited “domestic financing” through higher fees from clubs as a possible alternative to cover the investment needs described by many parties. However, only a few clubs have signaled “that this model is an option for them,” said co-managing director Marc Lenz. According to Merkel, the feasibility also depends on the outcome of the sale of national media rights.
In addition, “external financing” is possible by taking out a loan. Since “only a handful of clubs” recently supported such a model, “we have to look very closely at whether, after Plan A didn’t work, a construct that has already been rejected can be the right thing to get at least two thirds of the clubs behind them “said Merkel. The DFL will therefore “discuss what happens next in the committees and regional conferences in the next few weeks”.
“Demolition is not a blueprint for further problems”
After the investor deal fell through, the type of fan protests should not set a precedent from the DFL leadership’s point of view. Even “extensive forms of protest” were tolerated until the end, said Merkel. However, this “should not lead to games being interrupted on every topic that is controversial in the future and thus having a massive influence on sporting competition. Nobody can have an interest in that.” Nevertheless, “derivations from the process” would have to be made.
The DFL will continue to “have to make long-term and strategically important decisions.” However, he does not believe “that the termination of the process is a blueprint for further problems, but that several specific factors came together here,” said Merkel: “Different opinions about where football wants to go, which have been simmering for years, have given rise to the issue of strategic partnership Broken.”
The DFL bosses rejected criticism of a lack of communication about plans to bring in an investor. “We communicated very extensively and presented a lot of details in order to classify this controversial and complex topic. The clubs also dealt with it intensively,” said co-managing director Marc Lenz. “Nothing was done in the backroom or in a hit-and-miss process. But the arguments for a partnership did not penetrate into the fan scenes at the 36 locations and they were overshadowed by other aspects.”