The candidates for the members' and honorary councils

All relevant information regarding the committees is summarised in this article. Below is an overview of the candidates. 

Members' council

 

Patrick Andreas Bauer
Place of residence: Sinsheim-Rohrbach
TSG member since: 2023

Patrick Andreas Bauer combines political experience with huge enthusiasm for TSG. As a local politician in Sinsheim and district councillor in the Rhine-Neckar district, he wants to use his administrative competence and embeddedness in the region to directly benefit the club. For him, TSG isn’t just a lighthouse of sport, it’s also an identity-forming force in the region. “I see myself as a bridge-builder between the club and its base,” said Bauer – and as a season ticket holder, he often makes an appearance as a fan in the Südkurve. As part of the members’ council, he wants to establish new formats for engaging members: running and sporting events for young people, a public presence for the club, information stands at home games, and a proper members’ service team. His vision: an open, politically neutral TSG with a growing membership base and clear embeddedness in the region.  

 

Jonas Burkhard
Place of residence: Mannheim
TSG member since: 2018

Jonas Burkhard has been a passionate TSG Hoffenheim fan for many years. His goal as part of the members’ council is to create a bridge between the needs of the fans and the decisions made within the club. He wants members to be actively heard and involved, which he feels he can contribute to through his communication skills and solution-oriented approach. He is particularly committed to building short channels of communication, such as having an information stand on match days to make communication between members and the members’ council easier.

 

 

Rudolf Ebner
Place of residence: Sinsheim-Rohrbach
TSG member since: 2003

Rudolf Ebner follows the club closely and has been a member of TSG Hoffenheim for many years. He brings with him a deep embeddedness in the region. As a sales professional, he has experience of listening, discussing issues, and finding practical solutions. Through his interactions with fans and members over the years, he understands their needs and sees himself as a mediator. As part of the members’ council he wants to represent the interests of the members and fans, such as through gaining new members and organising sponsorship for travelling to away games.

 

 

Fabian Guschl
Place of residence: Sinsheim
TSG member since: 2023

Fabian Guschl is a project manager and has been a member of the club since 2023 – however, he has been following TSG as a fan for more than two decades. He has been particularly engaged in the last six years as part of the fan advisory committee of Spielbetriebs GmbH, which means he has a very good understanding of the issues and challenges of the fan scene. His goal as part of the members’ committee is to further strengthen the cooperation between the fans, club management, and members. He wants to establish greater exchange, strengthen the fan and club culture, and put the community at the centre. Guschl brings organisational skills, experience in dealing with group processes, and a clear communication culture – and wants to use these competencies for the benefit of the TSG community.

 

Peter Hesch
Place of residence: Sinsheim
TSG member since: 2008

Peter Hesch is a secondary school teacher who is active in local politics, and has been a member of TSG Hoffenheim since 2008. As a former local councillor, he understands how democratic committees work, and has experience of moderating and mediating. He can deal well with people and their concerns, as well as representing their interests. As part of the members’ council, he especially wants to push for societal issues: inclusion, prevention of violence, and health should receive more attention in the context of the club. Social projects are particularly close to his heart.

 

 

Isabel Hütter
Place of residence: Heidelberg
TSG member since: 2017

Isabel Hütter lives in Heidelberg and has had a close connection with TSG for years – particularly through her son, who was part of the club’s youth academy. As an engaged mother and long-time spectator, she will bring an important family-oriented perspective to the members’ council. Her vision: supporting the youth teams, the visibility of the women’s teams, and an honest atmosphere with a human face within the club. Hütter stands for values like respect, trust and unity – and wants to contribute to bringing TSG back into calmer waters.

 

 

 

Moritz Hütter
Place of residence: Heidelberg/Bayreuth
TSG member since: 2016

Moritz Hütter has first-hand experience of TSG Hoffenheim: as a player, he went through the club’s youth academy from the Under-10s to the Under-15s. He now studies Sports Economics and wants to use his experience as a former youth player to contribute to the club’s development. It is important to him that the perspectives of young talents are heard in the members’ council – as well as the needs of the active fans. Hütter stands for identification, stadium experience and sustainable support for youth teams. His goal: to strengthen the club as a community in which sporting success and togetherness go hand in hand.

 

 

Eric Kamany
Place of residence: Rauenberg
TSG member since: 2016

Eric Kamany lives in Rauenberg, completed his training in France, Cameroon and Germany, and now coordinates an international team. He wants to bring this intercultural experience to the club. His areas of focus are integration, supporting the youth teams, and effective communication within the club. It is especially important to him that young players and members from other countries also have a voice. Kamany stands for openness, diversity of perspectives, and the continued development of the club as a socially responsible institution.

 

 

Daniel Pflumm
Place of residence: Heidelberg
TSG member since: 2018

Daniel Pflumm is an independent entrepreneur and has been a member of TSG since 2018. As a committed fan, he closely follows club developments and would now like to get more involved. He sees his main strengths as moderating and conflict resolution – skills which he wants to use to strengthen the exchange between members, fans, the committee, and the board. Pflumm stands for unity, direct communication, and a transparent, reliable committee culture.

 

 

 

Kerstin Schäfer
Place of residence: Zuzenhausen
TSG member since: 2011

Kerstin Schäfer lives in Zuzenhausen and has been deeply rooted in the TSG Hoffenheim club scene for many years. As former first chairperson of the fan association Supporters Hoffenheim, she knows the needs of the fan scene first-hand. As part of the members’ council, she wants to build bridges. Her goal: a sustainable, viable culture of unity and transparent, eye-to-eye communication.

 

 

 

 

Markus Schunter
Place of residence: Gemmrigheim
TSG member since: 2014

Markus Schunter is chairperson of a regional organisation and was also first chairperson of the fan association Supporters Hoffenheim. He has extensive experience of organisational leadership, working with committees, and fan culture. As part of the members’ council, he wants to work for member participation, modern club development, and the preservation of the 50+1 rule. His vision is an intergenerational community which practises respect and unity.

 

 

 

Alexander Steinle
Place of residence: Bad Rappenau
TSG member since: 2020

Alexander Steinle has been passionately involved at TSG Hoffenheim for more than 18 years – either as part of the fan advisory committee, or through fan projects. His professional skills include a talent for organisation and experience in communicating, and as a volunteer he has gained leadership and networking skills. He describes his work ethic as constructive and solution-oriented. As part of the members’ council he wants to work for transparent processes, clear structures, and stronger integration of members into decision-making processes.

 

 

Eckhard Thüm
Place of residence: Angelbachtal
TSG member since: 2017

Eckhard Thüm is an IT manager from Angelbachtal and has identified with TSG Hoffenheim since 2008/2009. His motivation: increasing identification with the club, as well as sustainably increasing membership and stadium attendance. Thüm stands for reliable structural work, clear communication and a reflective perspective. He wants to contribute to the process of learning the right lessons from the difficult 2024/25 season – both on a practical and organisational level.

 

 

 

Emil Vetter
Place of residence: Sinsheim
TSG member since: 1998

Emil Vetter has been a TSG member since the beginning and has been following the club for over 25 years. He represents consistency, closeness to the club, and a deep understanding of the development of TSG in the last few decades. As part of the members’ council, he wants to contribute the perspective of a long-time supporter – for greater closeness to the fans and spectators, for stability in terms of sport, and to strengthen TSG’s presence in the top third of the table.  

 

 

 

Klaus Weihrauch
Place of residence: Aschbach im Odenwald
TSG member since: August 2008

Klaus Weihrauch has been a passionate supporter of TSG for many years – at home and away games, nationally and internationally. The former chairman of TSV 1896 Aschbach has over 20 years of experience in club leadership, and was made an honorary member at Aschbach. His heart beats for football, for the region, and for a TSG that is strongly anchored in the community. As part of the members’ council, he wants to work for stronger member engagement – with a focus on identification, participation and long-term commitment. “There is a lot of untapped potential,” says Weihrauch. His vision for the future: a down-to-earth, friendly Bundesliga club that stands for inspiring football – and for a family atmosphere with lots of talent from its own academy.

 

Robin Zuth
Place of residence: Bad Rappenau
TSG member since: 2008

Robin Zuth has been following TSG Hoffenheim since they were in the Regionalliga, and is deeply embedded in stadium life. As an active fan, the connection between the club leadership, fans and members is particularly close to his heart. As part of the members’ council, he wants to take on board, bring together, and pass on the concrete concerns, voices, and ideas of the fans. His goal is to strengthen identification, gain new members, and achieve a higher presence of Hoffenheim fans in the stadium.

 

 

 

 

honorary council

 

Rolf Bender
Place of residence: Hoffenheim
TSG member since: 1964

Rolf Bender has been a member of TSG Hoffenheim for over 60 years and knows the club like nearly no one else does. His mission as part of the honorary committee: mediate when there are disagreements between members and fans, give recommendations, and contribute to maintaining harmony within the club. It is deeply important to him that TSG continues to deliver first-class football in future, and that future generations from the region can experience this live. He believes in the club’s upward trajectory.

 

 

 

Marco Engelhardt
Place of residence: Hoffenheim
TSG member since: 1987

Marco Engelhardt has had a connection to TSG Hoffenheim since he was a child. He played for the club as a youth player from the Under-9s through to the Under-19s, and still sometimes plays for the old boys, as well as being a grassroots youth coach since 2024. Engelhardt sees TSG as an integral part of the region, and as part of the honorary council, he wants to ensure that TSG retains its identity as a village club with strong grassroots engagement. The growth of active membership is also very important to him.

 

 

 

Dieter Koch
Place of residence: Oftersheim
TSG member since: 1974

Dieter Koch has been a member of the club since 1974, and has been playing football for over 50 years. He knows TSG from the time when the club was still playing in the lower leagues, and brings a real understanding of how the structures have developed. The public-facing side of the club is particularly important to him – especially in cooperation with the fans. As part of the honorary council, he wants to offer advice based on his life experience and support the club in promoting friendships among fans and respectful relationships to other clubs.

 

 

Sarah Raab
Place of residence: Zuzenhausen
TSG member since: 1991

Sarah Raab, formerly Neu, grew up in Hoffenheim and was a volunteer at the Dietmar Hopp Stadium from 2000-2008. She knows the club from years of experience, and wants to bring this experience to the honorary council. She particularly values being grounded, tradition, and professional club structures. In the next five years, she wants to see a significant increase in membership, an expansion of grassroots sport, and consistent performances by the men’s and women’s teams. As part of the honorary committee, she not only wants to bring new ideas to the table, but also put them into practice.