FC Bayern and Audi
14.01.2020
A udi and FC Bayern Munich have extended their partnership until 2029 and expanded it in terms of content, the carmaker announced on Tuesday (January 14th). As an exclusive automotive partner, they also want to play the topic of electrification at Bayern. For example, all licensed players of Bayern 2020 will receive an Audi E-Tron as a company car.
For the entire fleet that FC Bayern receives from Audi, there is an average maximum value of 95 grams CO2 /km for the entire contract period agreed. This corresponds more or less to the legal requirement for manufacturer fleets from January 2020. At least half of all vehicles will be electrified in the future.
Other activities include marketing campaigns in the field of electric mobility. In addition, the visibility and experience of Audi is to be improved for visitors in the Allianz Arena, and there will be various Audi offers in the new FC Bayern flagship store in the center of Munich. Charging stations and a mobility offer as well as test drives around the Allianz Arena, on the FC Bayern campus and on the training grounds on Säbener Straße are further projects of the future cooperation.
Mid-2019: Broken deal with BMW
According to a report in the Munich tabloid 'tz', the Bavarian carmaker messed up with the bosses of the German record champions one day before the contract was signed. Shortly before the signing, BMW wanted to include a withdrawal clause in the contract - and that's why it was rejected.
Flashback: immediately after winning the German championship in May, FC Bayern had failed negotiations with BMW explained. The bosses of FCB justified it with a 'lack of trust' and a suddenly made 'non-fulfillable demand'. In a statement, it said that FC Bayern would like to 'keep silent' about the reasons for this decision.
Volume of 800 million euros
Originally it was intended that BMW as sponsor and Shareholder joins Bayern and takes over from Audi. The agreement should apply to the fields of soccer and basketball and bring the club an estimated total volume of 800 million euros over ten years. A sum that Bayern President Uli Hoeneß vehemently denied in March 2019. In return, BMW should take over the Audi shares in FC Bayern München AG in the amount of 8.33 percent.
The sponsorship-shareholder partnership, which was broken at short notice, could have legal consequences.According to the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”, the football club is demanding damages in the double-digit millions. The talk is of a sum between 10 and 20 million euros.
Good signal for BMW?
Another factor in the negotiations between FC Bayern and BMW was the possible start of the partnership . BMW wanted to become active in the soccer field well before the end of the Audi contract, which ran until 2025, but with this request came across granite from the new Audi boss Bram Schot. He emphasized that he wanted to fulfill the contract and, for his part, obviously made a significantly improved offer. Rumors said that Audi was ready to transfer 60 million euros annually to the Munich flagship club. In any case, FCB and Audi are currently negotiating a contract extension. In 2011, Audi was the third shareholder alongside Adidas and Allianz insurance for FC Bayern for 90 million euros.
BMW came into play at FC Bayern because the club was, among other things, against the backdrop of Diesel Affair had felt neglected by the VW subsidiary. In the past, rumors of a merger between Bayern and BMW had been circulating in the Bavarian capital. For example in summer 2018. VW boss Herbert Diess fended off the attack at the time. Against the background of significantly poorer business at BMW and the austerity measures recently announced by BMW boss Krüger, the broken deal may come in handy for the automaker. The rumored 800 million euros cannot be conveyed to the workforce who are called to save, according to company circles.
