Comments on: There’s Only One Roman Abramovich http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/ Football News Sat, 26 May 2012 13:33:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: ultravioletu http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-104649 ultravioletu Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:26:10 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-104649 Interesting read for a foreigner like me, especially between the lines. Take for instance, Martin's declaration: "If you look at their first team, most of them are foreign players, brought in with Hopp's money.". Of course, as everybody and their brothers know, K'lautern employs entirely local players, payed with Tradition-coupons, right? Including the two new signings from... err, Hoffenheim. Last season, these two were certainly "bloody legionaires", now they're probably red heroes. And what Martin failed to mention is that his club wouldn't have resisted this long without the subsidies from the local authorities (including the stadium scheme). Tax-payers, that is, whether they like it or not. And Simon is even better, letting this gem slip: "We would have welcomed him with open arms.". So it's not about money, it's not about comercialization. It's merely because Hopp chose the WRONG (from the traditionalist point of view) club. His accursed money would have been quite alright in Mannheim, Kaiserlauters etc. It's just as in the fable: we want equality, but only for us. Entertaining. Interesting read for a foreigner like me, especially between the lines.

Take for instance, Martin’s declaration: “If you look at their first team, most of them are foreign players, brought in with Hopp’s money.”. Of course, as everybody and their brothers know, K’lautern employs entirely local players, payed with Tradition-coupons, right? Including the two new signings from… err, Hoffenheim. Last season, these two were certainly “bloody legionaires”, now they’re probably red heroes.

And what Martin failed to mention is that his club wouldn’t have resisted this long without the subsidies from the local authorities (including the stadium scheme). Tax-payers, that is, whether they like it or not.

And Simon is even better, letting this gem slip: “We would have welcomed him with open arms.”. So it’s not about money, it’s not about comercialization. It’s merely because Hopp chose the WRONG (from the traditionalist point of view) club. His accursed money would have been quite alright in Mannheim, Kaiserlauters etc. It’s just as in the fable: we want equality, but only for us.

Entertaining.

]]> By: Stefanie Müller http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-104063 Stefanie Müller Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:45:01 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-104063 Well, limiting sponsors could be quite difficult - do you want to set a limit for the amount of money they may donate? But that's not going to make the sponsorship attractive, and neither will it help a Bundesliga club who wants to challenge in Europe. Do you want to prohibit sponsoring by private persons? But these businessmen own large companies who could appear on the paycheck instead. I just don't see any national solution which would solve the ownership/sponsor problem and still help the Bundesliga maintain their current financial level. Maybe the European Authorities (EC / EU) should consider intervening; I'm not certain if they are competent in that matter (which might prove to be a hurdle) but at least they'd be able to provide common rules for an even playground in all the EU member countries. Well, limiting sponsors could be quite difficult – do you want to set a limit for the amount of money they may donate? But that’s not going to make the sponsorship attractive, and neither will it help a Bundesliga club who wants to challenge in Europe. Do you want to prohibit sponsoring by private persons? But these businessmen own large companies who could appear on the paycheck instead.
I just don’t see any national solution which would solve the ownership/sponsor problem and still help the Bundesliga maintain their current financial level.

Maybe the European Authorities (EC / EU) should consider intervening; I’m not certain if they are competent in that matter (which might prove to be a hurdle) but at least they’d be able to provide common rules for an even playground in all the EU member countries.

]]> By: iqnadirshah http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-104058 iqnadirshah Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:19:42 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-104058 It was bound to happen sooner or later. One more league falls for the Money. Sad but unavoidable................ It was bound to happen sooner or later. One more league falls for the Money. Sad but unavoidable…………….

]]> By: Ahmed Bilal http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-104010 Ahmed Bilal Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:47:45 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-104010 It would be interesting to see if the German authorities limit sponsors from having a similar impact on football clubs seeing as more and more German businessmen will be looking at Hoffenheim and thinking of following Hopp's model. Look at what happened to the Premier League after Abramovich made his move. The longer the Germans wait, the tougher it will be to get the laws changed. It would be interesting to see if the German authorities limit sponsors from having a similar impact on football clubs seeing as more and more German businessmen will be looking at Hoffenheim and thinking of following Hopp’s model.

Look at what happened to the Premier League after Abramovich made his move.

The longer the Germans wait, the tougher it will be to get the laws changed.

]]> By: Stefanie Müller http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-104002 Stefanie Müller Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:43:02 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-104002 You're right, private ownership is not allowed. From a merely legal point of view, Hopp is only a sponsor. However, if you take a plain factual look at the situation, his status is closer to the one of a club owner. Hoffenheim are very dependant on his money and also on his goodwill, he has a massive influence on the club and, as far as I know, he just pays their expenses as if he were their owner, with the short detour over the official club cash. At the moment, one can only guess how much influence he has on transfer targets etc. but I reckon should Hoffenheim be in any danger come the Christmas break that he would initiate buying several more good - and expensive - players. It's the first occurence of a de-facto-ownership in German football (as far as I know) and a very interesting constellation. It'll be interesting to see whether other billionaires will follow his lead or if maybe the legislator will change the current laws on ownership and sponsorship to avoid that the prohibition of private ownership can be bypassed that easily. Hope that this explains the situation! Feel free to ask if you still have any questions. You’re right, private ownership is not allowed. From a merely legal point of view, Hopp is only a sponsor. However, if you take a plain factual look at the situation, his status is closer to the one of a club owner. Hoffenheim are very dependant on his money and also on his goodwill, he has a massive influence on the club and, as far as I know, he just pays their expenses as if he were their owner, with the short detour over the official club cash. At the moment, one can only guess how much influence he has on transfer targets etc. but I reckon should Hoffenheim be in any danger come the Christmas break that he would initiate buying several more good – and expensive – players.
It’s the first occurence of a de-facto-ownership in German football (as far as I know) and a very interesting constellation. It’ll be interesting to see whether other billionaires will follow his lead or if maybe the legislator will change the current laws on ownership and sponsorship to avoid that the prohibition of private ownership can be bypassed that easily.

Hope that this explains the situation! Feel free to ask if you still have any questions.

]]> By: yu1mixer http://soccerlens.com/theres-only-one-roman-abramovich/13769/#comment-103982 yu1mixer Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:04:58 +0000 http://soccerlens.com/?p=13769#comment-103982 Interesting read,I thought private ownership wasn't allowed in german football or have the rules been changed ?care to elaborate? Interesting read,I thought private ownership wasn’t allowed in german football or have the rules been changed ?care to elaborate?

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