GGFN Editorial

The reported on sacking of two TSG 1899 Hoffenheim club administrators (Frank Briel and Dr. Markus Schütz) was eventually confirmed this week two days after rumors began surfacing. The Bundesliga outfit took over two hours to confirm its decision, seeking to convey that the decision was not taken lightly and that great debates were had within the club’s front office. 

Interestingly enough, Hoffenheim also chose this week to attempt another public relations campaign. Seeking to demonstrate that the club could poke fun at itself, the Sinsheimers opted to label the upcoming league encounter against RB Leipzig the “Unbeliebtico” (“The battle of the unloved”). A shame that German football fans had always referred to this match-up with a more clever moniker: “El Plastico“.

It also remains a shame that – as a previous editorial on Hoffenheim released on this site pointed out – club Patron Dietmar Hopp has seems to have no real interest in ever returning his club project back to the fans. The technical return of the TSG to 50+1 rule means almost nothing in the context of the events of the past few months.

Hopp cares more about who threatens his friends and business associates than he does in leaving behind more organic legacy in the Rhein-Neckar Region. This fact, like the latest social media marketing ploy, simply isn’t funny. 

How can one be so harsh on Hopp?

Defenders of the 85-year-old billionaire will correctly point to his lifetime of philanthropic work. This extends to German football not only at Hoffenheim, but throughout the whole Rhein-Neckar Region and indeed to many other German football clubs in need of financial assistance. Hopp has given generously to the game and German social projects at large. Hopp’s foundation shelled out hundreds of millions of Euros to charity projects over the last 30 years.

Of course, one should rarely read too much into the charitable works of billionaires. Those with more money than they can hope to spend in a lifetime can easily organize a way of spreading some around for good cause they don’t actively participate in. The money won’t be missed or indeed ever really thought much about. The true heroes in such instances remain the on-the-ground coordinators who actually execute the plans. 

Moreover, there’s a serious problem when it comes to global billionaires. As hard as they may have worked in their youth and as hard as they may fight to give something back, holders of such enormous assets will automatically get exponentially richer simply by standing pat and making a few relatively safe investments. Humble “billionaires” literally become even more absurdly rich without lifting a finger. 

Hopp broken promise and tarnished legacy

When news broke that Hopp wished to return his former village club back to 50+1 in the spring of 2023, hopes were high that he truly meant to step away. The team that now plays in Sinsheim may never have a true historical legacy, but at least Hopp’s absence could allow something to take root. Some 15 years after the club was promoted to the Bundesliga, a new generation of club supporters had a chance of emerging. 

Younger local fans with fond memories of attending TSG matches might approach the age at which they could run for the board. Club membership and more local civic engagement could burgeon. Several more generations would obviously be required, but a less corporate environment could be within reach. Bayer Leverkusen and (albeit to a MUCH lesser extent) VfL Wolfsburg have proven that company clubs need not be totally maligned.

Hopp had a chance to practice what he has been preaching all of these years. Namely, that the Hoffenheim project is a personal “labor of love”. Unfortunately, Hopp’s stances taken amid this whole Roger Wittmann mess destroy this argument. A club that doesn’t respect the wishes of its fans isn’t a “labor of love”. A patron who cares only about the feelings of his close friend and confidant is, rather, engaged in a “vanity project”. 

Are Schütz and Briel innocent victims?

Of course not. The duo might have done better to let the whole matter of the Heidelberg court’s decision drop despite the fact that it didn’t go entirely in their favor. When it comes to the politics of a workplace environment, the term “innocent victims” best left out entirely. Such labelling is best reserved for humans marooned in a war zone rather than anyone fighting for anything in some posh first-world working suite. 

At least the duo opted to try and take a stand against Hopp. They could have arguably cut their losses and picked a better battle, but there’s much to be said for  their determination against one of the most obstinate individual (if not the most obstinate individual) in German football. Hopp could have easily let the matter drop too. The court issued a “compromise ruling”. A real shame that no one involved here seemed to understand what that word means. 

How nothings proceed from here?

Some believe that the Austrian duo of head coach Christian Ilzer and sporting director Andreas Shicker might try to leave this unstable environment as soon as possible. Others think Schicker is in line for promotion after all the upheaval in the front office. In all honesty, this editorial doesn’t really think what happens to them is terribly relevant. Nothing much is relevant when the club supporters get ignored like this.

TSG fans who have taken time, energy, and money to support this club (not to mention braved all the insults from supporters of more traditional clubs across Germany) played almost no relevance in this whole affair. It was the supporters in the ground who organized the “Nie Wieder Wittmann” protests in the stands. 

Their voices were not heard. 

Hopp – being literally incapable of justifying the amount of wealth he’s accrued in this lifetime – can at least attempt to listen to those who purchase tickets to his club. An agent who he’s also helped make rich beyond anything close to the amount of effort he put into his work remains far less deserving of Hopp’s ear.