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Updated 16:55
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On Monday morning, the Berliner Football Betriebsgesellschaft (BFB) announced that it would not take part in the newly founded European League of Football (ELF) as originally planned. Just a few hours later, a completely different message from Hamburg.
There, the new league commissioner Patrick Esume (47) announced that Berlin Thunder, Cologne Centurions and Leipzig Kings will also play in the ELF. Yes, what now ?!
“Berlin and Cologne are cities with a long football history and of course with large fan groups who have waited 14 years for this moment – and I also see great potential in Leipzig,” said Esume.
“That’s not us,” wonders the Berlin Roman Motzkus (51), one of three shareholders in the newly founded BFB. “We wanted to be there, so we founded the company in October last year. But essential points, agreed in advance in writing between the team and the people behind the ELF, Zeljko Karajica and Patrick Esume, were not included in the final contract, ”explains Motzkus.
Obviously, entire passages of the original letter of intent were missing. Motzkus: “We noted that several times and wanted to put it down in writing.”
But it didn’t come to that. The talks stalled for weeks. It was mainly about the distribution of marketing rights and merchandising income.
“In the last week, the league operators unilaterally broke off the talks. You have decided to stop talking to us, ”said a disappointed Motzkus, long-time player and board member of the multiple German champions Berlin Adler.
“The planned cooperation with the eagles will therefore also not exist,” explains Motzkus. It was about players, training grounds and joint youth work. Motzkus, a Berlin football veteran, is still wondering who is behind the new Berlin Thunder construct. “I have no idea,” says Motzkus. Because the second major football address in the capital, the Berlin Rebels, was always extremely hostile to the ELF company. “ELEVEN? No, none of this is our business. We are and will remain a GFL team, ”said Rebels spokeswoman Anne Kadler.
Budget: around one million euros
Nevertheless, the ELF wants to start as early as June 2021. What makes Motzkus shake his head: “I think it’s very daring to start a new league at the moment. Especially in these corona times you shouldn’t break your knee. It’s not even clear whether you’re allowed to train. Are they professionals? And who determines that? ”Asks Motzkus.
The teams calculate with a budget of around one million euros. Sounds like a lot, but it’s not really in a 50 to 60 man squad. In addition, there is the unclear situation around possible viewers.
For Motzkus, the subject is over. “For me, that’s very bad style on the part of the ELF. We would have liked to have been there, so we invested half a year of work. But with the best will in the world, I cannot imagine that we will find each other again. “
Not even Hanover and Ingolstadt
The German Knights from Hanover and the Ingolstadt Praetorians, who were also among the original initiators, will not be in the new league as planned, the organizers said. For this, teams from Cologne and Leipzig moved up. A total of eight teams from three nations play in the ELF: Hamburg Sea Devils, Stuttgart Scorpions, Frankfurt Galaxy, Berlin Thunder, Panthers Wroclaw and the Barcelona Gladiators.
Esume is convinced that it will be a success. And diligently stirs the PR drum: “I expect all teams to play at a high level and I expect exciting duels on an equal footing.”
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