The turnover of Germany's elite football clubs has hit the two billion euros mark
The Bundesliga celebrated its 50th birthday in rude healththis year when the new German league season kicked off as defending championsBorussia Dortmund hosted Werder Bremen. The season's opener at Dortmund'sSignal Iduna Park stadium was be a sell-out in front of 80,645 spectators. Itwas back on July 28, 1962, when the motion was passed by the German FootballFederation (DFB) in Dortmund to create the Bundesliga, which 50 years on boastsfinancially stable clubs playing in oft sold-out stadiums. The first seasontook place in 1963/64, but half a century after the league was founded, onefigure highlights the competition's economic success: last season, the turnoverof Germany's elite clubs hit the two billion euros mark.
With many of the league's top clubs selling out for everyhome game, the average attendance mark of 44,293 set last season is in dangerof being broken. The Bundesliga is easy to market with an average of nearlythree goals per game and moderate entrance fees, with most clubs offering sometickets for under 20 euros, means a trip to a match in Germany is familyfriendly. The quality of the league allowed the German Football League (DFL) tosell the broadcasting rights in April for the next four seasons at a price of628 million euros year, against 412 million in the previous contract. TheBundesliga's "50 +1" law prohibits any individual from owning morethan 50 percent plus one share of a club, meaning German clubs are lessvulnerable to being controlled by wealthy foreign businessmen.
Despite finishing the last two seasons without a trophy, theBavarians still managed an impressive turnover in the 2010/2011 season of 328.5million euros and the club has financial reserves that reach over 129 millioneuros. While Bayern have reached the Champions League final twice in the lastthree years, but 2001was the last time a German club won the European title andthe Bundesliga sides are desperate for more European success. The mostexpensive player in the Bundesliga's history is the 35million euros Bayern paidStuttgart for Mario Gomez in 2009.
