German football league appoints Lenz, Merkel

By Nathalia Araújo, dpa I Thursday, June 8, 2023

 

BERLIN – The German football league (DFL) has appointed Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel as joint-CEOs, the body said on Thursday.

The decision was unanimously taken by the supervisory board chaired by Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke. Lenz and Merkel will take the position from July 1, replacing interim CEOs Axel Hellmann and Oliver Leki.

Both have been part of the DFL for years and, as members of the management board, “are closely involved in the work and proceedings of the league’s governing bodies,” the league said.

“Both enjoy the highest respect within the organization and at the clubs. They are familiar with all matters and future projects of the DFL Group, were already part of the management group, and have excellent networks,” Watzke said.

Since long-time DFL boss Christian Seifert left, the body’s leadership has been going through turbulent moments. Seifert’s successor Donata Hopfen took the job in January 2022, but parted ways with the league following internal disputes.

Since then, Leki and Hellmann have been in charge on an interim basis.
The DFL leadership under Watzke, Hellmann and Leki has recently suffered a massive defeat in a vote over the entry of an investor into the league.

A motion to this effect didn’t receive the required two-thirds majority among the 36 Bundesliga and second division clubs at an extraordinary general meeting on May 24.

Watzke suggested at the time that the 11 votes against the investors came from second division clubs.

Lenz has managed various strategic projects with economic and social relevance to the Bundesliga and second division in recent years. He has also represented the DFL in the European Leagues and World Leagues Forum.

Merkel, meanwhile, has been with the DFL since 2014. Since 2020, he has been responsible for German-language media rights, national and international product management and the protection of audiovisual rights against copyright infringement.