Beckenbauer seals fifth term as President

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1361 votes: 2

18.11.2006

Key leadership personalities will remain in office, the financials and membership numbers have reached new record levels, and the club is preparing a major raid on the transfer market next summer, a well-attended FC Bayern Munich e.V. Annual General Meeting was told on Friday evening.

An overwhelming majority of the approximately 2,000 members present at the Olympic Hall returned Franz Beckenbauer to office for a fifth term as President of the members' club and chairman of the FC Bayern Munich AG supervisory board. In the 2005-6 fiscal year, Bayern became the first German football club to post annual turnover in excess of €200 million, the meeting heard.

"This club is in rude good health," FC Bayern Munich AG Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge declared, announcing "a probable new direction in our transfer activities" next season. Rummenigge held out the prospect of capturing "a truly big name" in the summer, although Germany's most successful club would remain as prudent as ever. "We are not about to become gamblers," the former world-class striker intoned, "we can manage it without taking out credit. We'll examine the possibilities and try and bring an appropriate personality to Munich."

In the black for 14 straight years

Beckenbauer, President of the members' club since 1994, and his fellow Presidential Committee members Dr. Fritz Scherer and Bernd Rauch, were re-elected by majorities exceeding 95%. "We wish to contribute to the well-being of this club by continuing in office," the 'Kaiser' remarked.

The 2005-6 fiscal year was extremely successful for Germany's biggest club both on and off the field. Bayern became the first club in Bundesliga history to defend the domestic league and Cup double, and despite an early exit from the Champions League, board director Karl Hopfner presented a balance sheet showing an operating profit for a 14th year in a row.

New record turnover

Turnover increased by over €15 million to €204.7 million, beating the previous best of €189.5 million from 2004-5 to become the highest figure ever recorded in the club's history. Operating profit (EBITDA) at €27.0 million fell slightly compared to the previous year's record €28.0 million. The club made after-tax profits of €4.8 million. "FC Bayern Munich is a thoroughly healthy club in financial terms, and in the best possible shape for the future," finance chief Hopfner commented.

"Repeating our double triumph meant the 2005-6 season was exceptionally successful for Bayern Munich, both in sporting and financial terms," Hopfner continued. "This is the first time a German football club has posted turnover of more than €200 million. Looking at both the domestic and international scene, we are certainly an exception in a positive sense, in that we combine sporting and financial success."

World's second biggest club

Bayern continue to set records in the area of membership. The club passed the 100,000 member milestone last season, and currently boasts 121,119 paid-up members (previous year: 104,720). Bayern list 2,290 official fan clubs (previous year: 2,189) with a total membership of 156,673 (previous year: 146,009). The figures make Bayern easily Germany's largest sports club, and the second biggest in the world, lagging only Catalan giants Barcelona.

Beckenbauer declared himself "almost giddy" at the barrage of positive figures, but Rummenigge issued a word of warning to the team in what the chairman described as "a curious season so far. We have to step up our efforts in the Bundesliga, and make sure we quickly get to where we want to be: at the top of the table. Fourth place isn't what we're aiming for. We want to be out in front."