The 50+1 rule in the Bundesliga has sparked debates for years in Germany. Fans, experts, and even officials are divided, some call for the rule to be abolished, some call for the rule to stay.
50+1 rule is a controversial yet interesting debate to hold. A lot of football fans in Germany have been pro 50+1 rule because it prevents clubs from being 100% dependent on foreign investors. Although, clubs such as Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen are widely deemed „commercial clubs“, they are not entirely 100% owned by foreign investors or companies. Both clubs were built upon these companies themselves or the working class of these companies.
On the other hand, the 50+1 rule lost its meaning after RB Leipzig were created in 2009. The club, formerly known as SSV Markranstädt began to be 100% dependent on the Red Bull company. Their quick rise to the top was met with hate and doubt by the German football fans because commercialism had taken over the league instead of tradition.
There had been several meetings between Bundesliga club officials over the abolition of the 50+1 rule, and a large majority of them had voted against the abolition. Bayern have been pro the abolishing of the rule, the club is the only German club who is competitive enough in the Champions League. RB Leipzig came as far as to reach the semifinals in the 2019-20 edition of the Champions League.
Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness, who is known to be quite conservative, has now expressed that Bundesliga need to abolish the infamous 50+1 rule. Speaking to G14 interview, Hoeness calls for the abolition of the 50+1 rule: „There is a discrepancy between German football, French football, with the exception of Paris Saint-Germain and, to some extent, Italian football compared to countries that mainly have Arab money, but also billions in American money”
Hoeness is concerned about the competition of the Bundesliga clubs at the big stage: „If the Bundesliga – this does not apply to Bayern Munich – does not think about abolishing the 50+1 rule, we will have big problems in being able to compete internationally in the long term.“
