by Alexander Hübner and Emma-Victoria Farr
German football’s governing body, the Deutsche Fussball-Liga (DFL), has invited five financial investors to apply for a stake in the Bundesliga’s marketing rights, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Investors are expected to pay between 900 million and 1 billion euros ($981 million to $1.1 billion) to the DFL over the next few years, according to a letter from the latter to the 36 professional clubs seen by Reuters .
Potential strategic partners being considered are Advent, Blackstone BX.N, Bridgepoint BPTB.L, CVC and EQT EQTAB.ST, according to the DFL letter. The DFL added that they could help strengthen its domestic media product and grow its digital and international activities.
The DFL expects preliminary offers from at least four of these investors in early December, the two sources said.
DFL, Advent, Blackstone, CVC and EQT declined to comment. Bridgepoint was not immediately available for comment.
At a general meeting to be held on December 11, Bundesliga clubs will have to vote for the process to continue. A two-thirds majority is required.
As part of this reverse auction process, financial investors must acquire, for a maximum amount of one billion euros and for a period of 20 years, a maximum stake of 8% in a newly created marketing company, which will own the television, advertising and digital rights to the Bundesliga.
The process, which will be the DFL’s third attempt to gain a stake in the rights – a previous proposal in May failed to gain club support – aims to “guarantee the sporting and economic competitive position of the federal leagues” , says the letter.
Under the new proposal, an investor should have no say in the design of the game plan or the league, and the DFL should be able to determine who runs the new marketing company.
(1 dollar = 0,9168 euro)
2023-11-26 16:51:28
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