Press review of the failed investor entry into the DFL: “The Ultras have won!”

With the abrupt cancellation of the billion-dollar deal with an investor, the German Football League has bowed to the fans in a test of strength. The DFL ended negotiations on Wednesday about the entry of a strategic partner to restore peace in the stadiums. The executive board of the umbrella organization of the 36 professional clubs decided unanimously in Frankfurt am Main not to continue talks with the financial investor CVC – and after the hoped-for deal fell through, it now has to find other sources of money in order to implement its modernization plans.

“Now I just had the feeling that there was no longer a majority. And then you no longer need to vote if you have the feeling. In any case, this process is now over,” said DFL Supervisory Board Chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke the ARD and the TV channel Sky.

The spokesman for the fan umbrella organization “Our Curve” sees the stopped investor entry as a victory for the fans. “From the perspective of active football fans and all members of the clubs in Germany, this is of course a great success,” said Thomas Kessen to the German Press Agency. “Today is a good day for Germany’s football fans.”

Broken investor deal with the DFL: “Good news for everyone who loves football”

This is how the German newspapers commented on the cancellation:

“Picture”: It was a big victory for the Ultras, who had been protesting for weeks against investor involvement (one billion for eight percent of TV revenues over 20 years). The league caves to tennis balls and banners. The DFL and the clubs in the first and second leagues are facing an ordeal! In the most extreme case, the leagues could separate (which would be legally possible).”

“Southgerman newspaper”: When commentators explain the failure of the process as a “caving in” to the rebellious fans, they are not wrong in principle. At the same time, the sudden very rapid withdrawal has to do with the necessary damage limitation. Sticking to the talks with CVC would have caused damage: for the business ability and reputation of the club and for the negotiating partner.

“Badish newspaper”: “The protest with tennis balls, chocolate coins, remote-controlled toy cars and miniature airplanes had an effect. At first glance, the makers of the German Football League have lost their desire to negotiate with an investor and thus possibly take commercialization to the extreme. Up At second glance, however, the withdrawal does not have to do with changing views of the DFL leadership, but rather with the concern of being exposed to the more or less creative protests of some of the organized fans, match day after match, and of literally being their plaything until the end of the season. (… ) The organized fan scene, which is a minority among all football supporters, will now sell the DFL Presidium’s vote as their victory. But they should not draw the wrong conclusions from it and act as the guardians of football’s grail. So little this one Sport belongs solely to officials in associations and clubs, but it does not belong solely to organized fans.”

“People’s Voice”: “The Ultras have won! There will be no investor in the Bundesliga! After weeks of tennis ball protests and game interruptions, the DFL has caved. A possible investor entry, the DFL’s communication and also the voting process – all of this can be critically questioned But with the collapse of the league it is clear who is in charge in German football: the Ultras.

The DFL and clubs will be incapacitated with this decision at the latest. Because they have been powerless against pyrotechnics or similar offenses for years. The Ultras – deliberately named this way because they are only a part of all football fans – now know that they will always get their way through protests.

So we can expect that there will be further protests in the future. It is possible that the Ultras will interrupt a game in the future until their club’s coach is fired on the pitch or the referee decides on a penalty.”

“Nuremberg News”: “Anyone who made the effort and looked deeply into the planned deal could only shake their head. It was a highly risky deal that German professional football wanted to enter into, one that would have shaped the sport forever – perhaps not especially for the good. That’s why it’s good news for everyone who loves football that investor entry is off the table.”

“Ludwigsburg district newspaper”: “The fact that the fan scene didn’t let up when the DFL decision-makers tried to simply sit out the protests shows how close this concern is to them. The fact that the fans were heard is a victory for the club and fan culture in Germany, which defines sport in this country and represents a unique selling point in European football. It is also a victory for the democratic culture of protest. With this power comes responsibility. The corner-goers must not make the mistake of bringing out the big protest guns for every cause in the future. This cannot happen “The best way to prevent that from happening is to have more cooperation between the DFL and the fans.”