Bayern & Dortmund Among Bundesliga Sides to Donate €20m to Struggling German Teams
By Tom Gott
Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have donated €20m to help struggling Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga sides cope with the financial hit of the coronavirus outbreak.
With fixtures postponed and German football prohibiting ownership from wealthy benefactors, there have been questions asked over how some of the smaller sides would be able to cope with the indefinite loss of revenue.
#FCBayern, together with the other three German Champions League clubs @BlackYellow, @RBLeipzig_EN and @bayer04_en, will make available €20 million to support the #Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. pic.twitter.com/dcVjzvTpVM
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) March 26, 2020
In a statement on their official website, Dortmund confirmed that the four German participants in the Champions League will donate €12.5m of undistributed media rights and an additional €7.5m from their own pocket.
“We have always said that we would show solidarity if clubs, through no fault of their own, should run into difficulties that they can no longer overcome themselves,” said chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke.
“BVB is currently having a major impact on society through a wide range of initiatives. And naturally we are prepared to help out other professional football clubs if it is ultimately a matter of cushioning the financial effects of the pandemic.”
In his own statement, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added: "Together with the three other Champions League participants, we want to send a signal of solidarity to all clubs in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga with this initiative.
"In these difficult times, it’s important that the stronger shoulders support the weaker shoulders. With this, we also want to show that football is standing together right now.”
The Deutsche Fußball Liga is set to decide how the money should be distributed during a meeting on Wednesday.
“This initiative shows that solidarity is more than just lip service in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga," DFL spokesman Christian Seifert added. "The DFL Executive Committee is very thankful to the four Champions League participants for their gesture towards our community of clubs."