FRANKFURT – The economic crisis does not ignore Frankfurt’s Eintracht either, that is clear. The Frankfurter Rundschau has reported short-time work for employees and officials and players have been playing through salary waiver scenarios for a long time, even if the club’s management has so far deliberately withheld public “water level reports”. Sports director Fredi Bobic had only said that there had been “positive signals” from the players, that he could “say with certainty that everyone will make their solidarity contribution”.
Basically, however, it doesn’t seem to have hit Eintracht as hard as some of its competitors. This is partly due to the sporting success of the past few years, but also due to the innovative strength in the economic area. Eintracht simply worked well in both lines. Equity has grown to 35 million euros, and sponsorship, TV money and hospitality revenues have increased in recent seasons. The most recent coup was the deal with Deutsche Bank, which Eintracht secured, among other things, for the naming rights to the Waldstadion, in future Deutsche Bank Park, around EUR 38 million for seven years.
CEO Axel Hellmann was able to announce another good news on Thursday. Thereafter, Eintracht can continue to build on its previous partners in the coming season. Despite the unclear situation, there have been almost no layoffs or business seats in the arena. “After the notice period expires on March 31, 2020, it is clear that the occupancy rate for the hospitality area will also be at its maximum in the 2020/21 season,” Eintracht announced in a press release, “the cancellation rate is below four percent . “This is the lowest cancellation rate in the club’s history.
“Tailwind in turbulent times”
Hellmann saw the deal with Deutsche Bank and the trust of the partners as “tailwind in turbulent times”. Financial security included. “In these times, reliability and commitment are valuable characteristics of an intact partnership,” says Hellmann, “we would like to expressly thank the partners for their trust and loyalty. It shows the strong cohesion of the Eintracht family ”. While the board is already working on the framework for the future, the players are thinking about the here and now. “A game would be possible for me tomorrow,” said midfielder Sebastian Rode in an interview with FFH, “we got a tough program for home work, almost more than if we had trained normally.”
It is planned that the team will return to the grass in small or very small groups the next week, depending on how the authorities decide. “We are only passengers,” says sporting director Fredi Bobic, “we consistently follow the guidelines.” For Rode, it is important that at least the domestic quarantine is over, which had to be observed after two positively tested players. “The first two or three days were still going, so you just chill on the couch,” he reported, “but I don’t have a balcony here, after seven days it gets annoying.”
See you again soon on the lawn?
Daichi Kamada is a bit more patient. The Japanese attacker does not try to leave the house after the quarantine has ended, “unless it is urgently necessary.” Nothing has changed much for him, the Japanese says. He agrees with Rode in the hope “that we can all see each other again very quickly and get back on the grass.”
Two former colleagues can no longer play on the lawn this season. At least not in their clubs. The season is over for the two professionals loaned to Belgium Tuta (KV Kortrijk) and Dejan Joveljic (RSC Anderlecht). The Belgian association has broken off the league completely. Eintracht is now examining what this means in terms of contractual agreements with the two players. Both are under contract beyond this season in Frankfurt.
