FC Bayern’s controversial partnership with Qatar Airways has existed since 2018. The contract expires in the summer of 2023 – it is still unclear whether there will be an extension. According to current reports, however, there is now a trend.
The German appearance at the Winter World Cup in Qatar and the excitement about the “One Love armband” from Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser and the “mouth-to-mouth gesture” of the German team should change the perspective of the Bayern bosses on the Qatar influenced sponsorship.
“The headwind that was felt here left its mark there,” said Uli Hoeneß recently in the “double pass”. Therefore, according to the honorary president, it is “by no means certain” that the Qatari airline is ready to extend the contract.
CEO Oliver Kahn and Marketing Director Andreas Jung traveled to the winter training camp in Doha to hold talks with the sponsor.
“First of all, it will be a matter of taking stock and then re-assessing each other’s interests,” said Kahn. According to the “Abendzeitung”, representatives of Bayern and Qatar Airways are said to have exchanged views, but it has probably not yet become concrete. There are currently no signs of a contract extension beyond 2023. According to reports, Bavaria collects almost 25 million euros a year.
Does a renewed cooperation fail because of the self-confidence of the Qataris – newly gained through the World Cup – and not because of the fan protests at FC Bayern?
“Will the conditions for workers in Qatar change if FC Bayern pull out? I don’t think so,” said Uli Hoeneß. The living conditions of guest workers had “certainly improved and not worsened” in recent years.
The formation of an opinion among the other Munich decision-makers is ongoing. “That will then be decided by us on the board of directors, and the supervisory board also has a say,” says Hoeneß about the procedure: “In such a case there is no personal opinion, but a joint decision.”
This can then fail for or against an extension of the contract. Provided the sponsor from the desert state is interested in expanding the cooperation at all.
This article was written by Finn Determeyer
The original of this article “Qatar sponsorship before the end – but not because Bayern no longer wants to” comes from fcbinside.de.
