The German Football League (DFL) has decided to cancel a potential media rights deal, valued at approximately €1 billion, with private equity firms for the Bundesliga & 2. Bundesliga following widespread protests by fans across the country. Hans-Joachim Watzke, chair of the DFL supervisory board, announced that the current developments made the continuation of the process unfeasible. This decision marks a significant victory for fan power in Germany, as supporters have demonstrated their influence over the league's decisions through various forms of protest, including interrupting games with remote control cars, throwing chocolate coins, tennis balls, and placing bike locks on goals, as well as using pyro. The move to scrap the deal is seen as a triumph for the fan culture in Germany, emphasizing that football clubs belong to the fans and their voice is crucial in the sport.
The German Football League has abandoned plans to sell part of its media rights for roughly $1 billion to private equity. The reason for the decision: weeks of increasingly strident fan protests.
Bundesliga pulls out of private equity acquisition of media, sponsorship rights after continued fan protests https://t.co/cdRtVmLYCe https://t.co/KgeP7sYjUZ
German football league ends private equity talks after mass fan protests https://t.co/xLRMOIVPLQ
German soccer will abandon seeking private equity investors after months of constant protests by fans. Recently, fans have interrupted games by: • Driving remote control cars on fields • Throwing chocolate coins on fields • Placing bike locks on goals
German Bundesliga drops foreign investor search after fan protests - DFL https://t.co/YnGZ30xs9E https://t.co/brTfdKZfWE
The German Football League (DFL) said Wednesday it was abandoning a billion-euro investment deal after widespread protests by Bundesliga fans, a U-turn hailed by supporters' groups as a "success" ⬇️ https://t.co/F00SCGJCXq
💪🏼 Bundesliga external investment for TV rights stake scrapped after fan protests https://t.co/I5GL791tqy
German football league drops plan to sell Bundesliga stake after fan protests https://t.co/dQpy28zVe4
Germany’s professional football league has canceled a potential €1 billion media rights deal with private equity firms, bowing to increasing pressure from fans and clubs https://t.co/QgERhfC6xh
VICTORY FOR FAN POWER in Germany as plan to sell a stake in the Bundesliga & 2. Bundesliga to private investor scrapped. 🇩🇪 Tennis balls, chocolate money, pyro & even remote-control cars were used by supporters to stop games & protest against the idea. It worked. ✊ https://t.co/XvCYyaC0Sa
Stunning victory for football fans in Germany. They have demonstrated that football and clubs belong to them. Their voice matters. Protest works. Refreshing fan culture in a sport where the fetishisation of money - regardless of its origin - is prioritised over actual belonging. https://t.co/G8K2LoXIqQ
German fans fighting the good fight.
BREAKING: #Bundesliga investor deal off. DFL supervisory board chair Hans-Joachim Watzke: "Given current developments, a successful continuation of the process no longer appears possible."
Fans are rising up against the Bundesliga's investor deal. https://t.co/9JNuEuq0L5