With numerous banners and songs, fans in the Bundesliga protested against the possible partial sale of media rights to financial investors by the German Football League (DFL).
“No to investors in the DFL!” was one of the many banners that the supporters showed during the game between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday. “You are selling our soul” and “The league belongs to all of us – against investors” were other messages. The alliance Südtribüne Dortmund had called for action.
There were also protests in other stadiums. “End the marketing mania! No to investors at the DFL,” said the banners that fans of SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich showed during the game between the two teams. There were also protests at the home games of FC Augsburg against 1. FC Köln and FSV Mainz 05 against Werder Bremen. Fans also joined in some games in the 2nd Bundesliga.
The DFL wants to sell shares to an investor in the future and thereby generate billions in income. “You’re destroying our sport,” sang BVB and Union fans.
“Several processes come together here: We have the sale of shares in the DFL, which is fueling fears. We now have the third investor at Hertha BSC – and we have shown twice that we could not really make a profit from it,” said Hertha President Kay Bernstein on Sky about the protest in the east curve of the Olympic Stadium: “Of course there are fears and worries. Of course it’s about: Is football going the way of capital or is football going the way of responsibility, maybe to be a little fairer?” Before he was elected president of the capital club, Bernstein himself was an ultra in the east curve. (dpa)