Bundesliga: This dual leadership should form the management of the DFL | Sports

Bet you’ve never heard those names!?

The search for a new management of the German Football League (DFL) is apparently over.

Before the meeting of the Executive Committee and the Supervisory Board on Wednesday, BlLD learned: Dr. Marc Lenz (37) and Dr. Steffen Merkel (37) should take over as dual leadership from July 1st!

Please who? The names are only known to insiders. Both have been working in the second row at the DFL for years.

Merkel has previously been involved in the bidding for the TV rights as director of the audiovisual rights department and former right-hand man of ex-DFL boss Christian Seifert (54). He has been with the league association since 2014, initially as a management consultant and from January 2018 as head of corporate strategy at the DFL and head of global operations at the league subsidiary Bundesliga International.

Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel form dual leadership

As Director of Corporate Strategy and International Affairs, Lenz has so far been responsible for strategic issues and the DFL’s international sports policy positioning. He has been with the DFL since 2019, initially as head of the International Affairs department and since 2021 also as head of the corporate strategy department. Lenz previously worked at Uefa, among others, where he scrutinized the finances and strategies of European clubs.

Interim managing directors Oliver Leki (50/Freiburg) and Axel Hellmann (51/Frankfurt) resign at the DFL meeting of the Presidium and Supervisory Board. Jan-Christian Dreesen (55), who was considered a hot candidate, opted for the post of CEO FC Bayern, where he succeeded Oliver Kahn (53).

Instead, Merkel and Lenz should now take over at the DFL!