Tennis ball throws in Berlin: Hertha ultras renew criticism of DFL investor plans – protest could be expensive

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32 minutes of protest: Tennis balls thrown from the stands delayed the game between Hertha BSC and Hamburger SV

Photo: Michael Taeger / Jan Huebner / IMAGO

The protest of the active fan scene against the planned investor deal of the German Football League (DFL) continues to concern German professional football. There have been game interruptions in numerous stadiums in recent weeks because fans threw chocolate coins or tennis balls onto the field. The most extreme situation was Hertha BSC's home game against Hamburger SV (1:2): the ball stood still for 32 minutes before referee Daniel Schlager was able to get the teams back from the catacombs and continue the game.

The Berlin ultra group “Harlekins Berlin '98”, in which the recently deceased Hertha President Kay Bernstein was active as a lead singer in the past, viewed this “particularly strenuous form of protest” as a success: “You can expect short protests and short interruptions Apparently they got used to it quickly in Germany,” said one circular. “Yesterday the protest became more visible again.” The “Harlequins” admitted to having brought about the interruption together with the “Capital Mafia 2003”. In the first half, HSV fans in the guest block also took part in the protest by throwing tennis balls.

The ultra groups renewed their criticism of the form and content of the investor entry, which the DFL decided in December in a secret vote with the smallest possible two-thirds majority. The managing director of Hannover 96, Martin Kind, has since been accused of voting for the DFL's plans against the parent club's instructions and therefore not acting in accordance with the 50+1 rule, which grants the registered club the right to determine and issue instructions. To this day, the child avoids commenting specifically on his vocal behavior. There were also fan protests during Hannover 96's home win against Hansa Rostock on Sunday.

After the vote, the DFL can now put its plans into action: a financial investor should pay one billion euros for a percentage share of the TV revenue. The league association wants to invest a large part of the income in the further development of the business model, especially in strengthening foreign marketing and preventing piracy. According to Supervisory Board Chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke, the investor will be presented this season.

The DFL reduced the number of applicants from the initial five to the two companies Blackstone and CVC in a unanimous decision by the Executive Committee. “Both investors collect money from the highly controversial Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF,” criticized the Hertha Ultras. There are also concerns about conflicts of interest - CVC, for example, invests in the Spanish La Liga, the French Ligue 1 and betting provider Tipico. Blackstone manager David Blitzer holds shares in FC Augsburg through Global Football Holdings.

Costs for protests could be passed on to fans

At the same time, the Ultras expressed concern that formulated "red lines" could be crossed - for example by further fragmenting the match day or games abroad. After the unsuccessful era under investor Lars Windhorst, which was accompanied by enormous unrest in the club and set the course for relegation, there is great skepticism, especially among Hertha supporters. However, the DFL management had explicitly ruled out such models. The “Harlequins,” however, pointed out the possibility of further protests, in which they continued to feel “not bound by the ideas of editors, club officials or DFL representatives.”

However, further actions could become problematic from a financial perspective - either for the club or for its fans. "This will result in a severe punishment," said Hertha managing director Thomas Herrich after the HSV game, who signaled understanding for the criticism, but not for the duration of the protest. The DFB announced on Sunday that the control committee would investigate the events surrounding the interruption of the game in the new week. The legal and procedural rules show that the fine usually depends largely on the amount of objects thrown and the length of the interruption in the game.

According to sports lawyer Paul Lambertz, fans could have to cover the costs. “This is a claim for damages and it can be enforced against the fans,” he told the dpa news agency on Sunday. »Not with all fans, but only with those who caused this disruption. You then have to see whether you can get them identified. This could be the case, for example, if the German Football Association imposes a fine on a club or a game without spectators.

“That can quickly amount to tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of euros, which could be in the balance as compensation,” said Lambertz. “These are not demands that can be avoided by filing for personal bankruptcy.”

Watzke misses “respect”

Herrich announced a dialogue with the fans at Hertha, but the Berliners voted against the entry of an investor anyway. It remains to be seen whether the DFL or other clubs will approach the fans again. Watzke recently said: “The discourse with critical fans makes us all stronger.” Without the active and colorful fan community, the stadium experience would be significantly poorer. “Mutual respect in the discussions is essential and, to be honest, sometimes it can still be improved,” he said.

cev/dpa