German fans intend to continue their protest movement against an agreement concluded between football clubs and a group of investors which resulted in the interruption of a dozen matches in the country in recent days.
The throwing of tennis balls and chocolate gold coins increased, delaying kickoffs or forcing referees to interrupt matches.
The fans intend to protest against the agreement concluded in December between 2/3 of the members of the DFL, the German Football League, which organizes the Bundesliga, relating to the transfer of an 8% share of future television rights in exchange of a capital contribution to help with the marketing and international promotion of the German championship.
Supporter groups are calling for a new vote, saying the agreement, which came a year after the rejection of another similar proposal, lacks transparency and is not democratic.
Despite high stadium attendance and a strong television broadcast contract in Germany, interest in the Bundesliga abroad is less than that in the English Premier League or the Spanish La Liga. International revenues represent a significant part of the resources of English clubs, attracting followers across the Rhine.
“The goal is for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 (the 2nd division, Editor’s note) to remain competitive both in sporting and commercial terms,” said the DFL in a press release justifying the agreement.
German clubs must respect the “50 1” rule which guarantees control of their members and limits the influence of outside investors. It is very popular among fans and, according to journalist Matt Ford, “the general feeling among German fans is that they suspect over-commercialization” of the sport.
“This relates to the social and cultural aspect of the history of German football,” he explains to AFP. “Clubs have always been controlled by their members whereas in England, football clubs have had private shareholders since the 19th century.”
Kristina Schroeder, a member of the supporters organization Unsere Kurve, underlines to AFP that “the structure of clubs based on control by their members is very specific”.
The decision was taken in December on the sly, according to its detractors, without being able to guarantee that club representatives voted in accordance with the instructions of their members.
During a 2nd division match between Hamburg and Hannover, signs depicted a target superimposed on the face of Hannover’s president while the match was interrupted for 30 minutes by tennis balls and other objects being thrown onto the pitch .
Even the clash at the top of the Bundesliga on February 10 between Leverkusen and runners-up Bayern Munich saw its kick-off delayed by similar protests.
According to supporters, there is much more at stake than just a share of television rights revenue. Oliver Jauer, who contributes to the Union Berlin fan site called Textilvergehen, says the protests also aim to “express our anger and helplessness against modern football” which he says translates into the arrival of VAR and always more advertisements.
Another fan of the club, Sam Witt, told AFP that “the protests are organized by the ultras but garner the support of ordinary fans because the arrival of investors would change the face of sport for everyone.” He recalls that the plan to play matches on Monday evening had also been torpedoed by tennis balls being thrown onto the courts.
The December agreement defined several “red lines” ensuring in particular that the DFL, and not the investors, would decide on kick-off times and the scheduling of matches as well as the sustainability of the 50-1 rule.
But, according to Matt Ford, “supporters suspect that these things are not going to stay as they are” and the “movement shows no signs of running out of steam.”
In statements Tuesday to SID, the German sports news subsidiary of AFP, the DFL indicated that one of the potential investors, the American investment fund Blackstone, had decided to withdraw, leaving only ‘only one in the running. “The protests will continue until the future of the sport is assured or we fans have all left in disgust,” says Sam Witt.
