After almost six weeks in the Bundesliga break due to the corona pandemic, after six weeks of lobbying and crisis management, Christian Seifert’s nerves are also tense. He sometimes cannot understand the “resentment and lack of goodwill” in his branch, said the managing director of the German Football League (DFL) after the third crisis general meeting of the professional clubs on Thursday. “You also have to ask yourself: What has football done wrong in the past?”
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The question really has to be asked. Because mistakes were made. You can tell that from the fact that six weeks without a game is enough to bring half of the 36 first and second division teams to the brink of bankruptcy.
At the moment everything is being tried to finish the season. A medical concept designed by a DFL task force chaired by DFB doctor Tim Meyer is to help. It was presented to the clubs on Thursday. And there was immediate criticism – especially because of the low test frequency and the quarantine considerations. “All of this is now a tightrope walk,” says one who is familiar with the process to SPIEGEL: “But what would have been the alternative?”
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A restart on May 9th is unlikely
Above all, the DFL tried to convince politics. After all, it is she who raises or lowers her thumb whether it will be played again soon. On April 30, the Prime Ministers will discuss with Chancellor Angela Merkel. It is expected that the decision about the restart of the Bundesliga will then be made. The date previously targeted, May 9, is unlikely to be kept. A start in the middle or end of May is more likely.
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Seifert was remarkably humble after the DFL assembly. “The only thing that matters for us is what politics says,” he emphasized again and again. The impression that football is taking a special route and ignoring the rules that are being set up in society during these weeks should be avoided.
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It is difficult enough. On Monday, when the Prime Ministers of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, Markus Söder and Armin Laschet, had indicated the possibility that the Bundesliga could start again on May 9, there was a mood as if it was already clear: off again. A mood that the DFL had not opposed. Seifert has registered that this was not well received by the public. There were also controversial debates within the DFL. Humility is the order of the day again.
On Thursday, the manager not only avoided any indication of when the league could play again, he also repeatedly installed backups in the event that the restart would not work. “If our concept doesn’t convince politics, then that’s the way it is,” he said, but then you have to expect that “the Bundesliga will probably not play for several months”. A scenario in which clubs would run into economic difficulties.
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Designing the medical concept has only been one of the DFL’s tasks in recent weeks. Another was to convince TV rights owners like Sky, Dazn, ARD and ZDF to buy something that may not even exist. “I was able to inform the clubs that we had agreements with almost all media partners,” said Seifert, confirming a report by SPIEGEL and the “Bild” newspaper a week ago.
Portioned payment of TV money
The rights holders are transferring much of the fourth and final TV money tranche for the current season. According to SPIEGEL information, the total is between 270 and 280 million euros. But the money will not be paid in full to the 36 first and second division clubs by TV money key in May. The DFL has decided to pass the funds on to the clubs in several tranches by 30 June so that they can consider them and use them appropriately to overcome the crisis.
This is reminiscent of the parental reminder when the pocket money is paid out to their children: Please do not spend everything at once!
With the television money, the clubs are saved at least for the next two months. However, only if it is actually played. This was indicated by Seifert when he said: “Should it be canceled, mechanisms of repayment apply.” This could then lead to economic bottlenecks again. It can be heard from the industry that some clubs have already pledged the new TV money to remain liquid. This should lead to even greater problems if the season actually ends.
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The league needs fast TV money, which is also why it gathers behind Seifert. On Thursday there was said to be only five requests to speak at the multi-hour video conference of all clubs – and hardly any questions. Seifert was asked whether there were concerns that May was chosen too early for a restart. His answer: no.
The clubs put all their hope in the medical concept. On Thursday, Seifert and Meyer did not want to deny that it had weaknesses. It is about “a balance between maximum security and an acceptable risk”, as Meyer said. Maximum security in a contact sport like football – that cannot be achieved anyway.
Seifert denied that the professional clubs would use the capacity for rapid tests that are otherwise needed in society. The 36 first and second division clubs would need 0.4 percent of all tests currently available in Germany, he said. National team doctor Meyer spoke of a total “rather below 20,000”.
Seifert also announced that the DFL would buy additional test capacities for EUR 500,000 in order to make them available to the public. “We are aware that if the situation worsens again, professional football will stop testing,” said Seifert.
The attitude of “Oops, here I come”, which the league had suggested on Monday through the full-page “Jaaaaaaa” advertisement from media partner Sky in “Bild”, was less noticeable on Thursday. Seifert tried again and again the balancing act between humility and self-confidence. The DFL is on thin ice, but at least it seems to be aware of it. The only question is: what is the real face of German football? Monday or Thursday?
Many say that if Seifert and his eight DFL presidium colleagues manage to get the Bundesliga through its season despite all concerns and opposition, it will be a masterpiece. But then the real mammoth task is waiting: The search for the answer to Seifert’s question, what has football done wrong in recent years that could go this far?
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