Soccer - Vote on DFL investor deal: Osnabrück abstains
VfL Osnabrück will abstain from the vote on the marketing partnership at the upcoming DFL members' meeting. This was announced by the second-division soccer club on Wednesday. In May, the German Football League's (DFL) attempt to lobby the 36 clubs in the first and second divisions for an investor to join failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority.
On December 11, the DFL will make a new attempt to vote on an investor deal. A company is to pay around one billion euros spread over several seasons in return for a percentage share of the TV revenue. The contract is to have a maximum term of 20 years and be signed by the start of the 2024/25 season. The Bundesliga clubs 1. FC Köln and SC Freiburg had already publicly announced that they would vote against the proposal.
The "VfL fan department, the Fanszene e.V. and the Violet Crew" had also expressed their criticism of the DFL's proposal in an open letter and called on the VfL von 1899 e.V. Osnabrück executive committee and the advisory board of the VfL Spielbetriebsgesellschaft to vote "no", VfL announced. The tight "schedule of the DFL, including the complexity of the information situation, which virtually prevents members and fans from participating in detail" violates the self-image of VfL, which as a club "understands participation and co-determination as an important value".
The Lower Saxony club also fears that the entry of an investor would widen the financial gap between the clubs, "as the investment and therefore growth plans primarily relate to international revenues. Without a change to the distribution key, VfL Osnabrück, like the majority of first division clubs and all second and third division clubs, would actually worsen its relative competitive position."
Nevertheless, there are also positive aspects to the revised DFL proposal, VfL announced. However, conducting the discussion "without considering the distribution issue and without an intensive fan and member participation process" would not make sense at present.
Statement from VfL Osnabrück
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- Despite being located in Lower Saxony, VfL Osnabrück has decided to abstain from voting on the DFL's proposed investor deal at the upcoming members' meeting.
- At the forthcoming DFL members' meeting on December 11, VfL Osnabrück will follow the stance of abstention, as announced by the club, regarding the marketing partnership investment proposal.
- The investor deal, which involves a company paying around one billion euros to the DFL for a share of TV revenue, will be voted on by the German Football League's (DFL) 36 clubs, including VfL Osnabrück from Osnabrück.
- As an investor, the company intends to pay significant sums over several seasons, securing a percentage share of TV revenue, but VfL Osnabrück, like many clubs in Lower Saxony, has concerns about the potential financial implications for clubs like themselves.
Source: www.stern.de
