“I am relieved that all the requirements have now been met and the changes have been implemented. This brings to an end a chapter in TSG’s history that has brought the club and myself a great deal of mistrust and hostility. I know that the 50+1 rule, which I have always been in favour of and in whose spirit I have always acted, is a valuable asset in German football,” says Dietmar Hopp. “I would like to thank all those who have now ensured that the original situation is restored.” On 12 June of this year, the general meeting of TSG Hoffenheim e.V. cleared the way by a large majority to fulfil Dietmar Hopp’s wish and transfer the majority of voting rights in TSG GmbH to TSG e.V..
This marks the end of a special status that began on 9 February 2015. On that day, the members of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim e.V. passed a resolution to transfer the majority of voting rights in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH to Dietmar Hopp. This was made possible by an exemption to the so-called “50+1” rule stipulated in the statutes of the DFL and the German Football Association (DFB), which was granted by the board of the league association on 18 December 2014 and confirmed by the DFB Executive Committee a few days later. This stipulates that the majority of voting rights must be held by the parent club. By granting an exception to the 50+1 rule, Dietmar Hopp’s considerable financial commitment to professional and amateur football as well as the club’s grassroots sport, which has existed for more than 20 years, was recognised.
In recent months, the topic has once again become the subject of heated debate. This has led to proceedings at the Federal Cartel Office, to which TSG Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg have also been subjected. For TSG Hoffenheim, this process has come to an end with the notarisation of the amended shareholders’ agreement and its entry in the commercial register.
“The club and Dietmar Hopp have always acted hand in hand in terms of the 50+1 regulations. This will not change. Dietmar knows that the future of TSG is in the best of hands and that we will not only preserve his legacy, but develop it further,” said TSG Chairman Kristian Baumgärtner. The club boss reiterated that “TSG is all about training young people, both as athletes and as people”. The infrastructure that the club has been able to utilise for many decades is solely due to the commitment of Dietmar Hopp.
