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Due to the corona pandemic, Hans-Joachim Watzke can imagine remaining as managing director at Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund beyond the planned end of his term of office in 2022.
“I know my responsibility towards this club very well.
It is completely out of the question that I will disembark in the biggest crisis, ”said the 61-year-old in an interview with the“ Handelsblatt ”.
He has not yet made a fundamental decision.
His departure at the end of 2022 was "at least not as deep in my thoughts as before the pandemic," he said.
Watzke has been managing director of BVB since 2005.
BVB President Reinhard Rauball would very much welcome Watzke to stay.
“Both of us, Aki and I, are of the clear opinion that you cannot leave the ship when such a threatening situation is currently prevailing.
So it is quite possible that we will both be in office beyond next year.
We will have decided this question for ourselves personally by autumn at the latest, ”said the lawyer to Sport1.
BVB lose four million euros in sales per home game
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The 74-year-old Rauball also feels little desire to retire: “My term of office will run until the end of next year.
I feel between 44 and 46, so age is not the problem. "
Like all other clubs, Dortmund is affected by the consequences of the corona pandemic.
By excluding viewers, the club lost around four million euros per home game.
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The business model of football, said Watzke, “has always consisted of spectators enjoying this game, paying an entrance fee and ensuring that sales are made close to the match day.
In my opinion there is no club in the world that can make a profit without this operational situation - unless it sells its silverware ”.
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He has no concrete expectations of politics, but he hopes that this season “at least he will be able to play in front of a few spectators.
That would be a great emotional liberation for us ”.
He would also reopen the stadium to the fans if it would not make economic sense by limiting the number of spectators, "even if we were to make a temporary loss".
Until then, however, the club will also live on its substance.
"As long as the situation continues, we will not be in the black," said Watzke.
According to him, the liabilities are currently at EUR 26.7 million.
This shows "that BVB has great economic strength and is very stable".
He's not worried that the club will handle the situation.
The Dortmunders benefit “that we did not have a single cent of financial liabilities at the beginning of the pandemic,” he said.
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In his opinion, it is quite possible that players could still be sold during the Corona crisis.
“In the midst of a pandemic, I'm not ruling anything out anymore.
But it is not absolutely the aim, ”said Watzke.
"Hell, asking for credit lines at banks just to not sell a player, will not be our way."
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