Friday 16 July 2010

1860 Munich


Bayern Munich to send 1860 into administration?

Disturbing news filtered through to EFW Towers today that 1860 Munich look set to face administration due to a farcical situation with their landlords Bayern Munich. We immediately reached for the phone to dial up our good friend and 1860 fan Michael Stoffl who takes up the story:

Today our very popular 1860 chairman Manfred Stoffers resigned just one day after the club lost a decisive court case against FC Bayern.

1860 are tenants in the Allianz Arena. Both the Arena and the catering company that operates in the Arena are 100% sister companies of Bayern.

Unfortunately, our - much hated - previous management signed a ridiculous contract with Bayern to share any costs 50:50.

Last year, the current management filed a law case to render this contract void (‘offending against good morals‘). On Wednesday the verdict was delivered: 1860 lost the case.

As a result 1860 has to pay three quarters of a million euros to Bayern for outstanding rent. Plus €5.5 million/season for rent and a lump sum for catering costs. No one could ever eat that many bratwursts.

The contract expires after the 2024/25 season.

We'd only be able to pay up for that if we get promoted this season, continually play in Champions League, and sell out every home match for the next 15 years.

If not, it’s just a question of time until we have to go into administration. I’m absolutely gutted. And so is everyone following the 'Lions'.

Compare and contrast: A relatively empty Allianz Area hated by 1860 fans...

...or a sold out Grünwalder with a raucous atmosphere which the fans love and want to return to.

It's not rocket science is it?

At the beginning of this decade we finished 4th in the Bundesliga, played the Champions League qualifier against Leeds, and lost a qualifier again the following year against to Newcastle - why couldn't we play a weak Moldovian side?. Then Germany was awarded the World Cup 2006. Our management was in sort of a megalomaniac frenzy when they decided to strike a deal with Bayern to build and fund the Allianz Arena. 1860 were relegated the season before moving in, and this is when it all went downhill. Then there's the mayor of Munich, member of the 1860 board at the time, who also signed that dreadful contract. Now he has deceived us and refuses a move back to the old ground rendering it unsafe, not fit for professional football and claiming there's no money for redevelopment.

Tension is high between 1860 and FC Bayern at both supporters' and management level. Their Chairman Rummenigge has called Stoffers a charlatan and furthermore Uli Hoeness now "believes in rule of law again" and has asked 1860 to eat humble pie.

It’s somewhat ironic the club will celebrate its 150th anniversary next week in a sold-out Grünwalder Stadion against Borussia Dortmund.

I guess there’ll be lots of tears. An era coming to an end.

Today, these t-shirts appeared in Munich supporting the outgoing chairman. one in XL for EFW please.

"Once a lion, always a lion" as they say in Munich

EFW will be following up this story in the coming days and weeks.

- Feel free to comment below -

1 comment:

Dave said...

Cheers for bringing this to our attention Danny/Michael.

Hate to state the obvious but this really does sound very bad news. Hope a more reasonable solution can come about for the good blau und weiss people of Munchen.