EFirst, Hans-Joachim Watzke announced the new dual leadership of the German Football League, then the DFL supervisory board chairman called for a close alliance to deal with the “difficult situation” in German football. 17 hours after the separation from managing director Donata Hopfen, Watzke confirmed on Thursday at the beginning of an almost hour-long press conference in a hotel not far from Frankfurt that Axel Hellmann and Oliver Leki will lead the umbrella organization of German professional football on an interim basis until June 30, 2023.
“We have a few processes running that we are trying to implement relatively quickly. We have to be able to act immediately,” said Watzke, explaining the unanimous decision of the supervisory board to appoint the 51-year-old spokesman for the board of Eintracht Frankfurt and the 49-year-old CFO of SC Freiburg. “Both have the absolute ability to pull this off. If you see how the clubs of the two have developed, that also speaks for the work of these two,” emphasized Watzke.
The transition phase will give the DFL the time it needs to find a “sustainable solution” at the top by July 1, 2023. In the search for suitable personnel, external help will be dispensed with. “Let’s see if we can do it ourselves without a personnel agency. I’m excited,” said Watzke.
Only since August in the DFL Presidium: Axel Hellmann
:
Image: dpa
The 51-year-old Hellmann was first elected to the DFL Executive Committee in August. The 49-year-old Leki has been on the DFL Supervisory Board since 2019.
One man show is a thing of the past
After Christian Seifert’s almost 17-year era of success and Hopfen’s tenure of less than twelve months, the DFL will be focusing on teamwork in the future. Watzke envisages a management with two, maximum three members. Given the range that football now covers, “you can no longer deliver a one-man show,” emphasized the 63-year-old.
When dealing with the complex processes, the BVB boss hopes that the German record champions FC Bayern will be more involved. He has already discussed this with Oliver Kahn, the CEO of the industry leader from Munich. It is important “that the largest and most successful German football club is always included in our considerations,” said Watzke, adding: “The simplest, most direct, most uncomplicated solution would be if Oliver Kahn ran for the presidency. Personally, I would be very happy about that.”
Part of the transitional dual leadership: Oliver Leki, CFO of SC Freiburg
:
Image: dpa
Hellmann and Leki, who for reasons of integrity are not given any powers in the areas of licensing and game operations, should ideally have solved the most urgent tasks by next summer. “It’s my dream,” said Watzke.
Is the Bundesliga opening up to investors?
On the one hand, there is the question of whether the league wants to open up to external investors in order to get fresh money. The majority of the 36 professional clubs had rejected that in the previous year. An investor is only useful “if we increase income as a result,” said Watzke.
On the other hand, the cartel office is pushing for a solution in the implementation of the 50+1 rule, which Watzke sees as being threatened. The regulation, which only applies to German professional football, basically states that the decision-making majority must always remain with the parent club when investing.
The Bundeskartellamt had classified the 50+1 rule in 2021 as harmless in terms of sports policy, but criticized the three exceptions for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim with majority owner Dietmar Hopp and the company-controlled clubs Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. Since then, the clarification process has been ongoing. He was “quite confident that we will be able to find a common solution,” said Watzke about the cause.
Marketing abroad should be better
For the sale of media rights abroad, the DFL has estimated 190 million euros for the current season. For comparison: the English Premiere League collects two billion euros. Many club bosses therefore want to see more money. The tender for the rights in the German-speaking area should bring more in the next period than the 1.1 billion euros that are currently available per season.
Watzke said: “In terms of foreign marketing, we are not where we are headed. The growth opportunities are greater there than in Germany – we will also try to grow moderately there. We need to have a much more presence abroad. We need an overall strategy for that.”
The renegotiation of the basic contract with the DFB, which expires in its current form in June next year, is also explosive. So far, the construct has posted a plus of six million euros at the DFB. But the amateurs want to see a lot more money in the future.
Closing ranks with DFB planned
Watzke would like to see better cooperation with the German Football Association, where the managing director of Borussia Dortmund also holds a leading position as first vice president. “It is important that we join forces in German football against the background of the EM 2024. We need this solidarity now,” he appealed and spoke out in favor of a holistic approach. “I don’t go to the DFB Presidium as a DFL representative to pursue DFL interests there, but I am the 1st Vice President of the DFB because throughout my life I have always felt that there is only one German football. That’s DFB football, DFL football – but all together,” said Watzke, emphasizing: “No one has to reduce me to the professional camp. I want to do my part to help German football get out of this difficult situation.”
