The front page of the supplement of German media Bild reported that the Federal Cartel Office of Germany has called on the German Football League (DFL) to better enforce the "50+1" rule and plug loopholes.
The DFL now needs to amend its statutes, involving the following matters:
Initiative 1 concerns the few remaining factory-owned teams in Germany, namely Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. The German government has refused to grant special privileges, necessitating rule changes to ensure that Bayer and Volkswagen do not retain 100% control of the clubs.
Regarding the factory-owned teams, Proposal 1:
A compromise plan, which was submitted to the DFL in 2023 and initially approved, will be revised. This will bring the membership participation of Leverkusen and Wolfsburg closer to that of clubs compliant with the "50+1" agreement, without transferring the voting rights under the "50+1" clause.
In return, the parent companies would gain at least one seat on the supervisory board of the professional football limited partnership and have enhanced veto rights over certain issues (e.g., changing the club's name, logo, colors, headquarters, or significantly reducing standing areas).
However, this statutory amendment applicable to all 36 clubs requires a two-thirds majority (24 votes) to pass. Some club owners may seize the opportunity to retaliate against the so-called decades-long competitive distortion through two "50+1" exemption clauses.
Proposal 2:
The exemption rules in the DFL statutes will be deleted after a transition period; by then, Bayer AG and Volkswagen AG must transfer the "50+1" voting rights to the clubs' parent companies.
Initiative 2 will affect most clubs. The Federal Cartel Office requires the DFL to ensure that the managing directors of club limited liability companies comply with instructions from parent companies when voting.
The trigger for this was the 2024 DFL investor trial: Martin Kind was instructed by Hannover 96 e. V. to vote against the investors' plan, but allegedly failed to comply—though there is no evidence of this, as voting is secret.
Proposal:
The so-called legal form change, overseen by the LLC management, can be completed within three to six months at a 可控 cost of €50,000 to €100,000. However, the general assembly (including the registered association) must approve the legal form change.
Initiative 3 involves RB Leipzig. The government complains that not all clubs provide fans with opportunities to become voting members. The DFL must ensure open access.
RB Leipzig has approximately 1,100 members, all sports enthusiasts or supporters, but without voting rights. Only 23 members hold voting rights, some of whom are closely linked to investor Red Bull.
The solution is simple: amend the statutes to prohibit setting barriers through exorbitant membership fees. Rejections of membership applications must be fully justified.
