German Football news - Page 6 - TalkSoccer

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-02-2007, 01:49 PM

A certification check list was adopted in a panel discussion led by Holger Hieronymus, managing director of DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH.

"We put forth eight criteria and made sure to check hands-on training in particular, but we want to check infrastructure issues. We also think it is important to monitor performance so that we have information about how many players later make it onto professional squads", explained Hieronymus.

Experts in the field were brought in

Experts with relevant experience were quizzed in order to determine the significance of the individual points. The results were then discussed and weighed by Andreas Nagel (DFL director of sport operations), DFB sporting director Matthias Sammer, Ulf Schott (department head of talent promotion at the DFB), DFB selection trainer Bernd Stöber, Rolf Rüssmann (chairman of the performance centres commission) and representatives of the Belgium firm DEXIA foot pass.

Pilot studies are now planned, which are already using the check list to look closely at the cultivation of young players at two clubs and to elicit qualified feedback about the practicality of the process.

Results to be presented at the start of 2008

Things will become serious for club talent cultivators in autumn, when the certification process starts. At the beginning of 2008, the results will be presented and the centres ranked.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-02-2007, 05:11 PM

Professional football supports the education of talents in amateur clubs with two million euros.

A club gets up to 50,000 euros if a player educated there makes his first appearance in the Bundesliga, if the player isn't older than 23 years.

A first appearance in the 2. Bundesliga is worth 25,000 euros. If more than one club participated in the player's education, the amount is shared.

"After the discontinuation of the education compensation, DFL still want to reward good youth work by amateur clubs. Valuable work is done here with great expertise and commitment. The money shall also encourage all clubs to do even more in this respect", Holger Hieronymus, Vice Chairman of the DFL board, said.

The arrangement is already effective for the current season and has paid off to some clubs. In the first leg of the season alone, the clubs and capital companies of Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga handed 41 professionals under 23 years their debuts, handing additional income to the clubs where they were educated.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-02-2007, 05:12 PM

DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH removes its offices within Frankfurt.

After the end of the current season, the League Association will move their offices to the Guiollettstraße 44-46.

The new offices will still be near to those of the DFB, ensuring a smooth cooperation in operational issues.

"We are very pleased with this solution. It meets the DFL's areal requirements and supports the independent positioning of the League Association", DFL Chairman of the Board Christian Seifert said.

DFL will stay in its current offices (Otto-Fleck-Schneise 6a) until the removal in May.

**Trim** · 26-02-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Professional football supports the education of talents in amateur clubs with two million euros.

A club gets up to 50,000 euros if a player educated there makes his first appearance in the Bundesliga, if the player isn't older than 23 years.

A first appearance in the 2. Bundesliga is worth 25,000 euros. If more than one club participated in the player's education, the amount is shared.

"After the discontinuation of the education compensation, DFL still want to reward good youth work by amateur clubs. Valuable work is done here with great expertise and commitment. The money shall also encourage all clubs to do even more in this respect", Holger Hieronymus, Vice Chairman of the DFL board, said.

The arrangement is already effective for the current season and has paid off to some clubs. In the first leg of the season alone, the clubs and capital companies of Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga handed 41 professionals under 23 years their debuts, handing additional income to the clubs where they were educated.

Great stuff.

**Trim** · 26-02-2007, 08:11 PM

German referee Markus Merk will take charge of the match between Manchester United FC and a Europe XI at Old Trafford, Manchester on Tuesday 13 March which marks the 50th anniversaries of the Treaty of Rome and United's entry into European football.

Memorable final

A vastly experienced referee, Merk will officiate at the game just two days before his 45th birthday, returning to the scene of one of his most memorable matches - the 2003 UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus. Merk won a UEFA Fair Play award for his handling of that occasion. Other top games in his career include the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain FC in Rotterdam and the final of UEFA EURO 2004™ between Greece and Portugal in Lisbon.

Humanitarian projects

In recent times, Merk has given up his dental practice to embark on a new career in lecturing, yet he has continued his humanitarian work which started in 1993 when he established a village at Sogospatty, near the Indian city of Trichy, for disadvantaged children and which has steadily expanded since. Merk will lead an experienced European referee team at Old Trafford: his assistants will be Alessandro Griselli (Italy) and Mark Simons (Belgium), with the fourth official being Howard Webb of England.

uefa.com

**Oliver_Kahn** · 08-03-2007, 01:57 PM

The top match of the 25th Bundesliga matchday between FC Bayern München and Werder Bremen attracts worldwide interest.

The match will be shown live in 95 countries, big markets like China, India, Japan, USA and Brazil among them.

"Great interest worldwide"

"That proves that there is a great interest in the Bundesliga worldwide. The DFL support that by improving the technical effort of the broadcast through our TV production subsidiary company Sportcast, to offer an even higher quality in presentation", DFL CEO Christian Seifert said.

**Trim** · 08-03-2007, 02:02 PM

Good news. And Bayern gotta take the 3 points... The world will be watching.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 08-03-2007, 02:08 PM

Why isn't it live in Portugal

**Frank Cunha** · 13-03-2007, 12:24 AM

Major League Soccer: Home: The Official Site of Major League Soccer

**Trim** · 14-03-2007, 07:51 AM

Major League Soccer (MLS) and the German Bundesliga have signed a wide-sweeping partnership agreement that will see the two leagues collaborate on everything from player development to marketing.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Bundesliga chief executive Christian Seifert made the announcement at Sportel convention in Miami, saying the exchange of information and expertise will help further develop the sport in both countries.

"This relationship marks an important step forward for Major League Soccer," Garber said in a statement. "We are all aware that this age of globalisation means new challenges for soccer, the most global sport.

"We are proud to enter this mutually beneficial relationship with the Bundesliga, one of the world's most well-run and most successful soccer leagues."

While the Bundesliga is one of the world's top leagues, Seifert said there is much that can be learned from the MLS, which operates under a strict salary cap and unique sports business model.

"We initiated discussions with Major League Soccer because of the impressive progress it has made since its inception in 1996," Seifert said.

"We look forward to learning from MLS, an exemplary organisation and a modern league with an eye on the future.

"Likewise, we are proud to contribute to the continued rise of soccer in the United States."

The partnership is the latest in a series of bridges built between the MLS and football's established European leagues.

In January, former England captain David Beckham put the MLS in the spotlight when he agreed to a massive $250 million deal to leave Real Madrid to join the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Colorado Rapids also announced earlier this year that they had signed a partnership agreement with Premier League side Arsenal.

American businessmen have also been stockpiling Premier League clubs, with Tom Hicks and George Gillett's recent purchase of Liverpool following the takeover by US majority shareholdings of Manchester United and Aston Villa.

MLS and Bundesliga form partnership - Football - Eurosport

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-03-2007, 01:39 PM

This sounds great

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-03-2007, 05:08 PM

Continuing the development of its foreign business interests, the DFL has struck a reciprocal deal with Major League Soccer in the US.

The aim of the collaboration is to support the current growth of the professional game in the United States while strengthening mid- and long-term marketing opportunities for the Bundesliga stateside.

The agreement foresees a regular transfer of know-how in areas such as TV production, licensing rights, marketing and brand-name promotion, organisation and finance, youth training programmes and stadium construction.

Strategic foreign market

In addition, discussions will be held on friendly matches between Bundesliga teams and MLS representatives.
DFL CEO Christian Seifert said, "The United States is one of our top-priority foreign markets. Interest in soccer is booming in a target group that is young and affluent. This cooperative agreement is the foundation for marketing opportunities in the future."

"Big step for MLS"

MLS Commissioner Don Garber commented, "This partnership is a big step for the MLS. We know that globalisation presents new challenges for football. And we are proud to be entering into this relationship with the Bundesliga, one of the best leagues in the world."

The two parties have already defined the first concrete steps for a "best practice" exchange. "We can learn from the DFL in areas such as TV production," said Gerber, "starting with basics like camerawork all the way through to the concept for a highlights programme." For its part, the DFL is interested in learning more about US specialities such as events organisation and brand marketing.

A fresh milestone

"The cooperation with the MLS marks a fresh milestone in the DFL's foreign marketing, and is representative of the way we are building up a systematic and long-lasting international brand identity," explained Seifert.

A recent survey comissioned by the DFL confirms the market potential in the USA, finding that some 50 million US Americans - 22.6% of the entire population - expressed an interest in football.

Big plans for "Goal!"

That makes soccer one of the country's most popular sports, having already overtaken ice hockey (41 mi.). A television presence will be a necessarily fundamental aspect of the Bundesliga's international marketing campaign. And central to that is the DFL 's own TV magazine "Goal!", which is already showing in some 70 countries worldwide.

Tom Bender, the DFL's Director of marketing and communications, says, "Our strategy is aimed at having a greater say in the marketing of our own product. The fantastic response we've been getting from all over the world confirms we're on the right lines, and is a further incentive to continue positioning the Bundesliga brand in the core markets we ourselves have defined."

Revenue increase

In December 2005, instead of offering foreign rights to a marketing agency, the DFL turned to bwin Interactive Entertainment AG. It, together with The Sportsman Media Group Ltd, has conducted the international business affairs since then.
Since the start of the season, revenues have risen by around 25%, with a concomitant 15% growth in the range of global Bundesliga coverage.

**Trim** · 16-03-2007, 08:05 AM

Wolfgang Holzhäuser is the new President of the German Football League. FC Schalke 04's Peter Peters has been appointed Vice President.

Representatives of the 36 Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga clubs voted unanimously for Holzhäuser at Thursday's extraordinary general meeting in Frankfurt-on-Main.

Peters Vice President

Peter Peters from Schalke 04 was also unanimously approved for the post of Vice President, with Eintracht Frankfurt chairman Heribert Bruchhagen voted onto the league committee.

In a vote scheduled to coincide with the annual general meeting of the DFL German Football League Ltd on August 6th and 7th in Berlin, a permanent successor as President to the late Werner Hackmann will be elected. Mr. Hackmann died on January 28th.

**Trim** · 20-03-2007, 05:31 PM

The DFL German Football League was able to show positive developments at the presentation of the Bundesliga report 2007.

The most gratifying development is the rise of employees in the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga: all in all 34,103 people work fully, part-time or temporarily , an increase of 9.81 per cent. Especially significant is the rise of full-time staff employed by the clubs which is about 20 per cent.

Furthermore, the growth sector Bundesliga remains an important tax payer. All in all 460.73 million Euros have been poured into the treasury in the financial year 2005/06 which is an increase of 21 per cent compared to the previous year. This does not even take into account the indirect economic profit that catering, restaurants and hotels gain from the Bundesliga.

"These figures underline that professional football has become an important economic factor in Germany. Especially in economically underdeveloped regions the clubs have been offering much more than just entertaining sport for a while. The clubs and PLCs of the league association have become major employers and tax payers, which is a highly pleasant development�, said DFL´s C.E.O. Christoph Seifert.

This positive development is underlined by the total proceeds, which have risen again: with a sum total of 1.52 billion Euros, the 36 clubs of the Bundesliga and the 2.Bundesliga have reached a new record high.

The Bundesliga report also shows great figures with regards to brand value, as was shown in a study commissioned by the DFL. The survey showed that the Bundesliga was able to increase its popularity again and that the brand awareness is now 99 per cent. All in all 34.59 million people in Germany from the age of fourteen are interested in football. Of these football fans 93 percent (32.18 million) have an interest in the Bundesliga.