The downsides of the 50+1 model

The 50+1 model in German football has many admirers in the UK, illustrated by the number of supporters carrying 50+1 placards outside Old Trafford.  However, it is often treated rather uncritically.  I am far from convinced that it is the best way forward, as I argue in my book Political Football to be published by Agenda on May 27th.  The key need is for an effective independent regulator who could license club owners.

A recent article in The Athletic looks at some of the downsides of the 50+1 model.    

First of all, the democratic oversight isn’t quite as strong as it seems. Most clubs make it very difficult for rival candidates to stand for election, for example. They will only put up a single candidate who is then rubber-stamped by the electorate. Taking back real control is therefore quite hard.

At the same time, the involvement of elected officials worried about their standing with the members can also create tension with those paid to run the football operations. “It is very difficult to work in a quiet way with a long-term, clear plan because of interference from above,” one Bundesliga official explains. “You are not really free to make a lot of good and strong executive decisions — if you are struggling there is always an opposite side that tries to eliminate you from the club. Without short-term success, you’re gone.”

These multi-layered power structures tend to make for noisy environments as soon as things move in the wrong direction. Because those in charge at ground level answer to custodians who are in turn reliant on the approval of the members, big clubs can quickly become a cacophonous mess of internal politics, targeted leaks and collective hysteria. Without strong leadership and competent decision makers, even blue-chip sides such as Hamburger SV or Schalke 04 can quite easily slide into chaos — and towards Bundesliga 2 oblivion.

And that’s not the only problem. By barring club takeovers, “50 + 1” restricts outside investment into the league. Unless they’re lucky enough to attract minority shareholders willing to put up money without control, clubs cannot raise huge sums to grow. All money needs to be generated organically, through the steady increase of revenues, which is a slow, treacherous process. 

Clubs like Borussia Dortmund or latterly Borussia Monchengladbach have shown that you can get ahead without investment but it takes years if not decades of sustained success on the pitch and a myriad of right decisions off it to get anywhere near the top.