Lately, there has been more and more of a push for Germany to abandon to 50+1 ownership rule. This rule, passed in 1998, essentially ensures that parent club, i.e. the fans, always maintains the majority share (51%) and subsequently the majority voting rights of the club ahead of any external investors. This rule has already allowed exceptions due to long standing sponsorship relationship (TSG Hoffenheim, VFL Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen) and Leipzig Lawnballsport managed to bypass these rules entirely.
Recently, figures such as Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have called to abolish the 50+1 rule and the German Football League (DFL) recently tried to sell a stake to an outside investor. Clearly, certain people in Germany are becoming more comfortable with the idea of outside investors investing in the Bundesliga.
But Uli Hoeneß is not one of them. Speaking in Sport1’s Doppelpass, Bayern’s honorary president doubled down on his support for 50+1: “If our president were to say at our annual general meeting that we would sell shares to Saudi Arabia and there would no longer be 50+1, he would no longer be president one minute later,” he explained, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “Our members are the ones who decide.”
It’s good to know some things don’t change. Keep fighting the good 50+1 fight, Uli!
Bayern Munich is back in Bundesliga action after an international break and just before the Champions League kicks off.
Could Bayern Munich get caught looking ahead? Maybe, but Vincent Kompany will surely have his boys focused on the task at hand — facing Hamburger SV at the Allianz Arena. Let’s get into it all — this is what we have on tap for this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show:
- What to watch for with Hamburger SV.
- A look at Bayern Munich’s injury situation.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI — will Kompany go with his regulars or will he look ahead to facing Chelsea in the Champions League next week?
- A prediction on the match.
