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There's been a lot of talk about the 50+1 rule over the last couple of days, a mandate that meant no German clubs were involved in the botched European Super League plans.
Last year we touched on "50+1" with @matt_4d, so here's a bit more about what it means...
Thread
Last year we touched on "50+1" with @matt_4d, so here's a bit more about what it means...
Thread
The flags, banners and flares in Germany don't just show weeks of prep and organisation; they also represent something deeper.
Theyâre an expression of involvement, ownership and co-determination â the difference between passive consumption and active support of a football club
Theyâre an expression of involvement, ownership and co-determination â the difference between passive consumption and active support of a football club
We all say our club belongs to us, but our clubs generally belong to magnates, billionaires and sovereign wealth funds.
We may be âmembersâ, but itâs ultimately no different to being a member of a gym or having a loyalty card at a local supermarket.
We may be âmembersâ, but itâs ultimately no different to being a member of a gym or having a loyalty card at a local supermarket.
Top German clubs are also multi-million-euro businesses, but there is a huge difference.
The atmosphere, fan culture, standing terraces, affordable tickets, even the virulent protests, are a result of the fact that, legally and theoretically, German football fans do have a say.
The atmosphere, fan culture, standing terraces, affordable tickets, even the virulent protests, are a result of the fact that, legally and theoretically, German football fans do have a say.
That's largely thanks to the 50+1 rule...
It ensures that a clubâs members, in other words the supporters, always hold the majority of the voting rights and prevents external entities from acquiring a majority stake, as is the case with most English football clubs.
It ensures that a clubâs members, in other words the supporters, always hold the majority of the voting rights and prevents external entities from acquiring a majority stake, as is the case with most English football clubs.
German clubs were not-for-profit organisations until 1998, before the DFL allowed clubs to out-source their operations into limited companies.
This opened teams up to private investment as long as the original parent club had 50% of voting shares in the company, plus one share.
This opened teams up to private investment as long as the original parent club had 50% of voting shares in the company, plus one share.
Bayern Munich, for example, may have sold 8.33% stakes in the âBayern Munich AGâ (a joint-stock company) to Audi, Allianz and Adidas respectively, but the remaining 75% belongs to the Bayern Munich members.
They're not doing too badly for themselves either...
They're not doing too badly for themselves either...
