A few weeks ago, FC Bayern were pleased to announce a future change in their automotive partner – BMW would take over from Audi as the team sponsor by 2025. But a new development might have changed these plans. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, the famous football club based in Munich has decided to continue the long-term cooperation with Audi.
The newspaper says that a BMW spokesman has announced the termination of the negotiations.
“We have ended the talks and will not become sponsors of FC Bayern,” a spokesman told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) weekly.
News of the deal falling through came shortly before Bayern secured their seventh successive Bundesliga title with a 5-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt at home in the Allianz Arena.
Bayern chief Uli Hoeness had said in March that BMW had signed a memorandum of understanding with BMW for the carmaker to sponsor both their football and basketball teams.
The Audi boss Bram Schot had other plans though. With payments of 60 million euros ($67-million) a year plus other elements of the deal adding up to more than one billion over a 12-year period, a competing offer would have been “indefensible from a business point of view” for BMW, FAS reported.
This sum was obviously too high for BMW and from the perspective of the car manufacturer, “economically unreasonable”, which is why the negotiations were canceled.
Good news. Never been a fan of FC Bayern and never will be. Soccer sucks.
Yet it’s the most popular sport on the planet
Until Americans with their head in sand travel frequently outside of the boarders (Caribbean doesn’t count) they will never get it. International football is on par with American football, exceeds in Europe and South America.
horatiu…you’re debating with someone that likely thinks a national championship interchangeable with “world champions”
Stupid remark.
Bmw was successful the last decades without any association with FC Bayern or football, soccer, Fussball or however ppl call it. Bmw’s sign is pisces, it rules the waves.
It’s not soccer, it’s football… ‘cos y’know they’re kicking a ball… with their feet.
Tell you what does suck though, that American game that should be called Handsphere.
In Germany we call it Fussball. The right translation would be football in english.
Ignorant comments aside, I find this news disappointing. You can see the Arena from the HQs and vice versa.
It’s a Bmwblog not FC Bayern Fansite.
You’re missing the point.
If I want to see the arena I can go Munich or watch the Bundesliga on TV etc. Bmw doesn’t need to make commerials for FC Bayern or vice versa. Bmw sells tons of cars without any other big sport clubs. I missed the other guys point. The cup of grace goes to Audi.
somehow i knew something was off about bmw sponsoring a football club. i just had a feeling that they would bottle it lol
Art cars, marathons, golf & Olympics reflect BMW ownership≥hooligans.
don’t get me wrong. bmw can pull it off somehow but they just fell short in terms of negotiating and finalizing a deal. what’s up with that????
A billion euros? That’s what the Audi deal is reportedly worth. Isn’t that the amount BMW put aside for potential fines?
“shrugs” they had their chance.
And saved a billion euros.
cute
The butthurt is real.^^