Andres Gerber opens the door to the Härzbluet Lounge under the roof of the Stockhorn Arena. The sports Director of FC Thun looks puzzled. “Am I in the wrong movie?”, he asks and laughs.

Before him, President Markus Lüthi, Vice-President Markus Peter are sitting. The Club has invited to the media conference. Because the lakes of Thun responsible have something to tell. For Lüthi and the little FC Thun, it is something of great importance, something that pleased him incredibly proud of, and something that affects the future of the club in a sustainable way. From the pleasure-worn, begins Lüthi his remarks in front of about twenty journalists a few minutes before the agreed time. And forget to wait on Gerber.

The story of the President begins six months ago with an E-Mail. It is a message of how he receives you as the highest Exponent of a Swiss professional football club almost on a weekly basis, sometimes even by SMS. The sender asked if he could get with his company as an Investor. Luthi outlined the conditions under which he could be a imagine, and makes it clear in his answer, unequivocally: “The FC Thun is not for sale.”

listen to instead of phrases

Such messages to potential investors Luthi in the last few years, often written. Because he was always striving to improve the financial Situation of the lake of Thun, always an open ear for people who wanted to help the FC Thun. Always in the intention to secure the future of the club in the Super League to be sustainable, to place it on a financially solid Foundation.

most Of the he did not after his clarification that the club was up for sale, nothing more was heard of, says Lüthi. Or, at most, any stalling phrase. But this time everything is different. Because on Luthi’s message the demand comes from, how he envisages the cooperation. Lüthi to realize: “listen. The interest for us.”

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The representatives of Pacific Media Group (PMG), a company based in China whose core business is the financing and the distribution of digital content from the US and the Asian market. Moreover, the PMG made since some of the years successes with international databases. Also in the football the company built a world-wide directory of game statistics.

The English second-tier club Barnsley, PMG holds a majority of the shares, also in the French Ligue 1 club nice the company was, until recently, co-owner and witnessed the first Champions League qualification, the French with. There are spheres, which can be a difficult to imagine that the FC Thun could be back into the interest of Pacific Media Group.

Long eight days

However, according to the E-Mail correspondence of the contact between Lüthi and the PMG is intensified. The Thun President proposes a Meeting in the uplands. When he realizes that it fits human and Lüthi wins the trust of the investors don’t want to say goodbye again, but for the long term plan is the Basis for contract discussions.

a Little later the paper, the fears for the FC Thun after some difficult years, including collective actions, and Existence, of fight against the now-rejected League reform, Lüthi a loss of revenue of up to 800’000 Swiss francs, fear left, a relief promises: a Total of three million Swiss francs has assured the Pacific Media Group in the FC Thun in the agreement. it is in front of him on the table, For a club whose capital 000 CHF 400′, this is a syringe with a immense Finance. “I can’t believe it still, that it worked,” says Lüthi and told that PMG had also been with two other Super League club in contact. “I am proud you have chosen us.”

Luthi speaks of a long eight days which had elapsed between signature of the contract and the first payment on the account. This 500’000 Swiss francs correspond to approximately 5 percent of the share capital. The Rest is a subordinated loan that can request the lakes of Thun in the next 10 years, in two instalments if necessary. PMG has the opportunity to have this in the share capital, convert, which would lead to a maximum of 25 per cent would be in the hands of the Investor.

no longer is it, is Markus Lüthi is important to emphasize. “We don’t want to sell our soul.”

Created: 26.11.2019, 16:32 PM