The plans for an investor to join the German Football League (DFL) continue to cause controversial discussions. At an event organised by the "Südtribüne Dortmund" alliance and the board of directors of the BVB fan department with around 300 guests in the stadium of the Bundesliga runners-up, DFL supervisory board chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke and DFL managing director Axel Hellmann promoted a fresh capital injection through a strategic partner.

Hellmann referred to the need for modernization, especially in international marketing, and sees a need for investment: "It's raining a bit into the roof, it's full of holes. But how do you get the roof tight again?"

Reference to football culture

Watzke tried to take away the fans' fears about too much influence from an investor. "I haven't been fighting for the 50+1 rule for years to let a Trojan horse in now. We definitely don't want any more kick-off times," said the BVB managing director.

Hellmann was even clearer on this question: "The concerns that the match day will be fanned out is a theoretical one. We could do that right now. But we don't do it because there is a football culture in Germany. There will never be a matchday fanning out."

In recent weeks, many football fans had made it clear at Bundesliga matches that they reject the entry of an investor. Just as clear as the banners of the fans in the stadiums were the arguments of the supporters in the discussion. "This construct is accompanied by a lot of fears and anxieties among the fans. It's about classic topics such as matchday fixtures and venues," commented Jakob Scholz, chairman of the BVB fan department.

The plan envisages that the future investor will acquire 12.5 percent of the marketing of the national and international Bundesliga media rights for a term of 20 years. In the next step, these would be outsourced to a subsidiary called "DFL MediaCo GmbH & Co. KGaA". Watzke referred to the lack of income in the past Corona years: "Corona with all its effects is responsible for the fact that we now have a need for investment."

The deal is expected to provide the league with fresh capital of around two billion euros, 85 percent of which will be invested in earmarked investments in future fields and in strengthening the stability of the DFL. Only 15 percent of the total sum – around 300 million euros – is to be given to the 36 clubs for free use. "It cannot be seriously said that we are flooding the market with a lot of money," commented Hellmann, speaking of a "homeopathic dose" for the clubs.

In two rounds of talks with the club representatives on 12 and 15 May, the concept developed in recent months will be discussed and the offers of the possible strategic partners will be presented. At the DFL's extraordinary general meeting on 24 May, the clubs will decide whether further negotiations with individual interested parties will take place on the basis of the selected offers. A two-thirds majority is required for the implementation of the plan. If this is achieved, the process could be completed by mid-July.