“You only care about the money”

Borussia Dortmund’s fans protest against the reform of the Champions League before the game against Celtic. The BVB supporters insult UEFA with a huge banner.

2 Min Reading time

Borussia Dortmund fans have often criticized the visual and loud power of the south stand. Increasingly in focus: the increasing commercialization of football, which seemingly knows no boundaries. When RB Leipzig visited Signal Iduna Park for the first time as a Bundesliga club a few years ago, the BVB supporters made no secret of what they thought of the test-tube club’s path, which was controlled and supported with a lot of financial power by an energy drink manufacturer.

More games, higher bonuses for BVB

Before the first home game in the new Champions League season against Celtic Glasgow, the fans on the south protested against the reform in the Champions League with a big choreo. More games, more money for the clubs, but also a greater burden for the players and, above all, an additional financial and organizational effort for the supporters due to at least one more away and one home game in the league phase: “UEFA Mafia” was huge Letters across the largest standing-room stand in the world, and in English underneath: “You don’t worry about the sport, the only thing you worry about is the money.” Above that, on a smaller banner, a reference to an Internet Page: “www.nein-zur-cl-reform.de”

With the new mode of a league system with eight games against eight different opponents instead of eight groups of four, plus 36 instead of 32 qualified teams and a play-off round for the teams in places nine to 24 before the round of 16, the number has increased of games up to the final (this season in Munich) increased from 137 to 203. To this end, UEFA is paying out a good 400 million euros more in bonuses to the clubs.

But that is only one side of the coin. Fans who want to follow their club will have to dig deeper into their pockets just because of the two more games in the league phase.

To the home page