Bremen – There was a certain pride in the voice of Klaus Filbry in the past when the chairman of the management reported on the debt-free SV Werder Bremen. We were happy to refer you to other Bundesliga clubs who lived on Pump. But in the corona virus crisis, Werder now has to borrow money – a lot of money.
For the first time since the spin-off of professional football in 2003. Werder Bremen is negotiating a loan in the tens of millions with the development bank KfW. Filbry reported this in a media discussion on Friday.
“We must Debts record because otherwise in this particular situation we are in through the Corona crisis are not to blame, not everything could be achieved, “announced Filbry, but immediately reassured:” Our liquidity is secured until early autumn. “The 53-year-old was a day after the general meeting of the German Football League (DFL) and the presentation of the medical Concept to continue the season with ghost games went on the offensive.
Werder Bremen in coronavirus crisis: loss of income of many million euros
He wanted to promote understanding – quite frankly. Because of course Klaus Filbry have not missed the level of public skepticism. The image of the financially troubled clubs, also drawn by DFL boss Christian Seifert, is definitely being called into question. After all, the earnings in the past were too big. But they have now massively slumped due to the interruption of game operations. Without Ghost games – or games without spectators, as Filbry prefers to call them for PR reasons – be the future of football and therefore also of the future SV Werder Bremen more than endangered.
And with unprecedented transparency, the Werder boss then presented numbers – unpleasant numbers. He already had the Corona virus crisis internally calculate how large the financial consequences could be for the calendar year 2020. In the best case (current season will be finished without a spectator, the first half of 2020/21 will run with an audience), there was a decrease in revenue from 20 million euros determined. In the worst case (end of season, first half of 2020/21 without spectators), this sum is 40 to 45 million euros. A descent would make both scenarios financially worse.
Werder Bremen: Bad prospects for sponsorship – there is a risk of repayments
But the crisis is already beginning to take hold Werder account noticeable. Many companies, including sponsors, have stopped payments, there are open bills of five million euros. This is not unusual in this phase. Filbry recalled the example of some large retail chains that would not pay their rents for shops.
The perspective in the area Sponsorship is not rosy anyway. In addition to contracts from important partners such as VW and Betway, other smaller ones are running at the end of the season contracts out. Total volume: 5.6 million euros. It is currently almost impossible to negotiate extensions. And there are still threats Repayments to various sponsors for failing to perform at ghost games. It gets worse if the season ends. Then it should be 3.6 million euros.
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Werder Bremen: Big problems with TV money and ticket refunds
In this extreme case, the last TV rate would also be history; Werder Bremen is about 15 million euros. The media partners have agreed with the DFL to pay despite the season break, but initially there is only 25 percent of the amount negotiated. Further installments should follow when the game is played again. Werder will not get the entire 15 million euros either way, because the game plan will be very compact and therefore not so interesting for all media partners. At a Season break repayments would also be due.
The same applies to the area Tickets. The holders of season tickets and single tickets as well as the customers in the business area still have to be compensated for the six home games still outstanding. It is about ten million euros. The exact procedure is currently being coordinated. And then there are those Season tickets for the new season, which will most likely take place without an audience at least in the first half of the season. The next financial problem is already waiting.
Werder Bremen is in debt for the first time – and without ghost games it would look very bleak
“We worked intensively on solutions,” emphasized Klaus Filbry. Credit lines with the house banks have been changed. But that alone is not enough. “For sporting and economic reasons, we are obliged to maintain the continued existence of football, as well as that of the company and the club Werder BremenFilbry said, defending the use of one KfW loans: “The state has made this instrument available. Many companies use that. ”The development bank has already received more than 17,000 applications. In most cases, they are small loans of up to three million euros. But there are also billion-dollar loans such as for the travel provider Tui or the sporting goods manufacturer Adidas. And now a soccer club from Bremen.
“Yes, it’s the first time that we Debts do, ”Filbry admitted. But this way is without alternative. The same applies to the ghost games. Without them, it would look very bleak for football and Werder. Like all other companies, football hopes to slowly get closer to normal. “We do not ask for anything and wait for political decisions,” said Filbry: “And of course health always comes first.” (Kni)
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