Claus Vogt is committed to further discussion about the DFL’s decision. The VfB members should be involved via the “Dark Red Table” dialogue format.
Also at 3:1 victory of VfB Stuttgart against 1. FSV Mainz 05 On Sunday there were protests by fans against the entry of investors into the Bundesliga. “Are you kidding us? Open re-vote now!” – that was what could be read on a banner of the Stuttgart fans at the game against Mainz. In addition to chocolate thalers and other sweets, tennis balls in particular flew onto the playing field. Referee Deniz Aytekin interrupted the game in the ninth minute of the game and almost 15 minutes were continued. VfB President Claus Vogt observed the protests in the Stuttgart stadium live from the stands. In an interview with SWR Sport before the game, he reinforced his opinion that the topic of investor involvement should be discussed again.
VfB President Vogt for further discussions
On Wednesday (February 7, 2024), the VfB boss initially discussed the choice of investors entering the Bundesliga on his social media channels. Vogt suggests that there should be another discussion in the German Football League on the topic because it cannot be guaranteed that the election resulted in a sufficiently transparent result.
Social media post on Twitter: Post on X from VfB President Claus Vogt
Vogt fears that the game will be canceled if the fan protests escalate
It was important to him to set an example and build bridges between the fans and those responsible at the clubs in order to bring some calm to the issue. According to his own statements, he did not consult with other clubs before making his statement. Vogt can definitely understand the fans’ protests and fears that if nothing happens, the situation will escalate and games will have to be canceled.
For this reason, the club president wants to enter into a dialogue with the VfB fans as soon as possible. For him, it is about choosing a format in which members can express their ideas, their fears and their concerns. The “Dark Red Table” is the appropriate dialogue format for this, and the DFL’s investor decision will be the main topic at the end of February.
We will now organize a dark red table at short notice to which we will invite our members.
VfB President Claus Vogt in an interview with SWR Sport
Chairman of the board Wehrle also has doubts
VfB voted “yes” in the election for the initial investors. Afterwards, Claus Vogt, together with the CEO of VfB Stuttgart, Alexander Wehrle, doubted whether the vote had been sufficiently democratic and transparent. Both agreed that they needed to talk about whether the election could be discussed again and thereby achieve a better understanding among the members of the association. Meanwhile, DFL executive committee member Axel Hellmann has rejected the demands of the active fan scene for a new vote on the investor question. The DFL had a valid proxy vote from Martin Kind (Hannover 96) and could therefore not vote again, said Hellmann in the “Bild Sport” program on “Welt TV”.
Maybe something can change, not just for us, but also for other clubs.
VfB President Claus Vogt on the investor entry in an interview with SWR Sport
Vogt: “For us, 50+1 is inviolable as a large, traditional club”
According to the VfB president, the 50+1 rule is also inviolable for VfB. Vogt completely understands that the licensees and investors of the German Football League must be involved. However, he doubts that the current licensees will still be represented in the DFL in the next ten or twenty years.
For this reason, in addition to the shareholders, the members of the VfB must also be involved in the decision. They could then give a binding opinion on the topic. In this way, one could understand how the “mother club” voted and thereby achieve a transparent, democratic result.
Then the ultras, who are particularly against investors joining the Bundesliga, could accept the result democratically and end the protests. At the end of February at the “Dark Red Table”, VfB Stuttgart wants to enter into further dialogue with its members, which now seems necessary after the clear expressions of disapproval, especially from the Cannstatter Kurve.
Editor’s note
In an earlier version of the article we wrote that Claus Vogt was “demanding” a new vote by the DFL. Claus Vogt is seeking renewed discussions with everyone involved; first and foremost, he wants to sufficiently involve the VfB members. We have corrected this accordingly.
Broadcast on Sunday, February 11, 2024, 11:55 p.m., SWR Sport, SWR
2024-02-12 15:01:43
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