By Paul Nicholson
February 7 – The rehabilitation of Uli Hoeness now looks complete. Having been re-elected as president of Bayern Munich last November, he has now reassumed the position of chairman of the Supervisory Board. In separate news the club are said to be close to launching a new TV channel with main sponsor Deutsche Telekom.
“FC Bayern München eV president Uli Hoeneß has resumed the office of chairman of the FC Bayern München AG supervisory board following a unanimous vote in favour at today’s ordinary meeting of the board,” said a club press release on its website.
His speed of resumption to his former duties at the club has been meteoric after having only just completed a jail term for hiding money in a Swiss bank account and avoiding German taxes.
It has also been unanimous. In November at their annual meeting Hoeness was backed with an overwhelming majority of 98.5% of the 7,152 members in attendance to return to the presidency. As chairman of the supervisory board he now has his hands firmly back on the wheel – doubtless he is an inspiration and role model for all reformed tax fraudsters in the new heightened world of football transparency and integrity.
Hoeness had asked for “a second chance” and after the election in November accepted he had made “a very big mistake. But I’ve done everything I can to make amends for this huge error. I’ve done everything I can to earn another chance. And now I’m here.” Hoeness is lucky football allows this second chance – it is hard to name another business sector whose rules would allow its elected representative to jobs that hold fiscal responsibility such a quick return.
But when it comes to money Bayern are not slow to spot the opportunity. Shirt sponsor Deutsche Telekom are set to unveil a new club TV channel as part of its T-entertain package. The channel would also be available online.
Channel content would include video from the club’s FCBayern.tv service (annual subscription of €36) as well as Women’s Bundesliga games. Deutsche Telekom already owns rights to the Basketball Bundesliga and the channel could take Bayern Munich games from these rights for the channel.
In August 2015 the club renewed its sponsorship with Deutsche Telekom in a deal through to the end of the 2022/23 season. No figures were announced for the deal but the sponsorship deal that was renewed in 2012 was believed to be worth €30 million annually. The new deal would likely grown to be worth more than double that.
Under the new terms Bayern Munich and Deutsche Telekom agreed to collaborate on a number of mobile and technology projects.
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