Entering a crisis year with a record balance sheet

For the fifth time in a row, the club smashed the turnover mark of €100 million, and for the fifth time in succession, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH generated a net profit. The importance of the successful work of the past months is highlighted when looking to the future. "These figures are certainly impressive, but in the light of the current situation, they are only a snapshot," said managing director Frank Briel, who is responsible for the finances of TSG Hoffenheim, among other things. "It is already becoming apparent that, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, this will be followed by the record year of crisis, in which we are expected to take a loss of tens of millions," predicted Briel in an interview with club magazine SPIELFELD, in which the manager gave a detailed opinion on the current situation.

"Although no one could have expected such a global crisis, it is clear that it is essential to plan with foresight and caution and to allow some of the profits from economically strong years to flow into reserves for challenging times. We must continue to use the opportunities that our transfer strategy has opened up for years, for example. This is and will remain the fundamental basis for a club of our size to finance our success on the pitch and the club's further development. Training, integrating, developing and ultimately selling players will remain an important part of our business model," emphasised Frank Briel, who has been responsible for the club's finances since 2006. "Looking at past successes can nevertheless fill us with confidence, because despite some significant changes to the squad, we have been able to qualify for Europe three times."

Transfer fees of around €114 million received in the past season for the players Joelinton, Kerem Demirbay, Nico Schulz, Nadiem Amiri and Vincenzo Grifo, among others, have not only helped shape the balance sheet, but also further strengthened the club's financial position. The equity capital ratio is 79 percent.

However, the revenue from national and international TV broadcasting rights, which amounted to a total of €73 million in the past year, remains the most important pillar in terms of earning potential.