Apart from individual interviews and brief press releases, only rumours about the investor project of the German Football League (DFL) trickled into the public for many weeks. That has now changed. The two managing directors Oliver Leki and Axel Hellmann, who lead the association on an interim basis, provided detailed information on their project for the first time and also gave concrete figures. It was known that the sale of 12.5 percent of a yet-to-be-founded subsidiary, into which the national and international media rights will be outsourced, is expected to bring in two billion euros. The current concept now envisages that these rights will revert to the DFL after just 20 years. Above all, however, Hellmann and Leki explained for the first time in more detail how the money could be used and distributed.
Around 40 per cent of the total amount raised will be used for an internationalisation and digitalisation project of the DFL, while 45 per cent will go to the clubs for the purpose of expanding their own infrastructure. Around 15 percent of the money can be used freely by the clubs and used to strengthen their teams. It was precisely this third pot that was controversial because it was feared that such payments could further damage the level playing field. This is because the payments are made according to a similar key as the previous distribution of TV money: the successful clubs get more than the smaller clubs. Since "the distribution will take place over five years", this concern is now unfounded, Leki said.
A large majority of club representatives are now convinced that it makes sense to break new ground. "We need to diversify our revenue streams," Hellmann said, which is to be made possible first and foremost via its own streaming service. More controversial than this part of the project among the 36 clubs is the use of the remaining approximately 1.2 billion euros. There is still a need for discussion there. In the meantime, it is planned that pots will also be formed to supply relegated teams from the second to the third division, so that a club like Sandhausen does not suddenly not benefit at all in the event of relegation after several years in the second division.
Basically, it is now clear that the wishes and needs of small clubs have been taken into account more than some large clubs would like, which would like to use more money freely to strengthen its squad. "The accusation that we are going along with football's price mania does not correspond to the reality of life," said Hellmann, who, however, warned against too high expectations, alluding to the money flowing into football from the Gulf states and large funds: "I don't know whether that's enough against the wind of international investment. Probably only if the international regulations take effect." The DFL is also working on mechanisms to slow down the unchecked inflow of capital into football.