Here's a list of relevant dates for German football:
09.06. 14:30 Announcement of domestic TV rights deal for 2017-2021 (Bundesliga & 2. Bundesliga)
18.06. 23:30 DFB-Pokal 1st round draw
29.06. 11:00 Announcement of Bundesliga & 2. Bundesliga fixture calendars
Early July: Announcement of 3. Liga fixture calendar
28.07. XX:xx Europa League 3rd QR 1st leg for Hertha BSC
29.07. 20:30? 3. Liga, opening game
04.08. XX:xx Europa League 3rd QR 2nd leg for Hertha BSC
05.08. 18:30 2. Bundesliga, opening games
14.08. 20:30 DFL-Supercup: Borussia Dortmund v FC Bayern München (in Dortmund)
16./17.08. 20:45 Champions League play-off 1st leg for Bor. Mönchengladbach
18.08. XX:xx potential Europa League play-off 1st leg for Hertha BSC
19.08. 19:00 DFB-Pokal, opening games of 1st round
23./24.08. 20:45 Champions League play-off 2nd leg for Bor. Mönchengladbach
25.08. XX:xx potential Europa League play-off 2nd leg for Hertha BSC
26.08. 20:30 Bundesliga, opening game: FC Bayern München v TBD
25./26.10. DFB-Pokal 2nd round
18.12. 14:00 3. Liga, final matchday before winter break
19.12. 20:15 2. Bundesliga, final game before winter break
20./21.12. Bundesliga, final matchday before winter break
20.01. 20:30 Bundesliga, opening game after winter break
27.01. 18:30 2. Bundesliga, opening games after winter break
28.01. 14:00 3. Liga, opening games after winter break
07./08.02. DFB-Pokal round of 16
28.02/01.03. DFB-Pokal quarter finals
25./26.04. 20:45 DFB-Pokal semi finals
20.05. 13:30 3. Liga, Matchday 38
20.05. 15:30 Bundesliga, Matchday 34
21.05. 15:30 2. Bundesliga, Matchday 34
27.05. 20:00? DFB-Pokal final in Berlin
German Football Season 2016-17
Domestic TV rights for Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga (2017-2021) have been sold today. With a couple of smaller packages for delayed coverage still up for grabs, the 36 clubs will earn a total of € 4.64 billion over four years, that's an average of €1.16bn per season, 85% more compared to the current rights cycle. DFL are expecting another €250m per season from foreign rights deals, so the total sum will probably exceed €1.4bn per year. The distribution between 1st and 2nd level clubs has been 80:20 in recent years, but the distribution for the new contract hasn't been decided yet.
Sky Deutschland will remain the No.1 Bundesliga broadcaster, with 266 first level live games and all 306 second level games. The remaining 40 first level games (plus relegation play-offs and Supercup) have been awarded to Eurosport 2. ARD keep the traditional highlights programme on Saturdays at 18:30. The Monday night game in 2nd level, which has been live on free-to-air television for more than 20 years, will move to pay-TV from 2017.
Here's an overview of the rights packages: http://s.bundesliga.de/assets/doc/10900 ... iginal.pdf
Sky Deutschland will remain the No.1 Bundesliga broadcaster, with 266 first level live games and all 306 second level games. The remaining 40 first level games (plus relegation play-offs and Supercup) have been awarded to Eurosport 2. ARD keep the traditional highlights programme on Saturdays at 18:30. The Monday night game in 2nd level, which has been live on free-to-air television for more than 20 years, will move to pay-TV from 2017.
Here's an overview of the rights packages: http://s.bundesliga.de/assets/doc/10900 ... iginal.pdf
Just saw this now. A massive success for German football. The last deal was an enormous increase on the previous one as well. Going from strength to strength. I wonder if eventually they'll threaten the Premier League...
We're miles behind the Premier League and realistically, I don't see how the Bundesliga could be able to close that gap in the foreseeable future (unless the PL bubble bursts for some reason). But today's deal should mean that financially, the German league can remain within reach of La Liga, and ahead of everyone else.
For me, it's interesting to see that DFL have been able to generate a lot more money without killing a sacred cow. Despite the implementation of a no-single-buyer rule, Sky customers will still get the vast majority of games, and viewers of public television still get their good old highlights programme. So there's still room for a further increase in four years.
For me, it's interesting to see that DFL have been able to generate a lot more money without killing a sacred cow. Despite the implementation of a no-single-buyer rule, Sky customers will still get the vast majority of games, and viewers of public television still get their good old highlights programme. So there's still room for a further increase in four years.
If anyone's interested: The German 1st round cup draw is coming up now, live on ARD (Das Erste). But be warned: It's going to take an hour. 
Matches to be played from 19th to 22nd August:
Eintracht Trier (IV) - Borussia Dortmund
Wattenscheid 09 (IV) - FC Heidenheim (II)
Sportfreunde Lotte (III) - Werder Bremen
MSV Duisburg (III) - Union Berlin (II)
SV Drochtersen/Assel (IV) - Borussia Mönchengladbach
Würzburger Kickers (II) - Eintracht Braunschweig (II)
FSV Frankfurt (III) - VfL Wolfsburg
Jahn Regensburg (III) - Hertha BSC
1860 München (II) - Karlsruher SC (II)
Eintracht Norderstedt (IV) - SpVgg Greuther Fürth (II)
Babelsberg 03 (IV) - SC Freiburg
Kickers Offenbach (IV) - Hannover 96 (II)
Astoria Walldorf (IV) - VfL Bochum (II)
Viktoria Köln (IV) - 1.FC Nürnberg (II)
Rot-Weiß Essen (IV) - Arminia Bielefeld (II)
1.FC Magdeburg (III) - Eintracht Frankfurt
Erzgebirge Aue (II) - FC Ingolstadt
FSV Zwickau (III) - Hamburger SV
SpVgg Unterhaching (IV) - FSV Mainz 05
FC 08 Villingen (VI) - FC Schalke 04
Dynamo Dresden (II) - RB Leipzig
VfB Lübeck (IV) - FC St. Pauli (II)
Germania Egestorf/Langreder (IV) - 1899 Hoffenheim
BFC Preussen (VI) - 1.FC Köln
FV Ravensburg (V) FC Augsburg
Hansa Rostock (III) - Fortuna Düsseldorf (II)
SC Paderborn (III) - SV Sandhausen (II)
SC Hauenstein (V) - Bayer Leverkusen
FC Homburg (IV) - VfB Stuttgart (II)
FC Carl Zeiss Jena (IV) - FC Bayern München
Bremer SV (V) - Darmstadt 98
Hallescher FC (III) - 1.FC Kaiserslautern (II)
Eintracht Trier (IV) - Borussia Dortmund
Wattenscheid 09 (IV) - FC Heidenheim (II)
Sportfreunde Lotte (III) - Werder Bremen
MSV Duisburg (III) - Union Berlin (II)
SV Drochtersen/Assel (IV) - Borussia Mönchengladbach
Würzburger Kickers (II) - Eintracht Braunschweig (II)
FSV Frankfurt (III) - VfL Wolfsburg
Jahn Regensburg (III) - Hertha BSC
1860 München (II) - Karlsruher SC (II)
Eintracht Norderstedt (IV) - SpVgg Greuther Fürth (II)
Babelsberg 03 (IV) - SC Freiburg
Kickers Offenbach (IV) - Hannover 96 (II)
Astoria Walldorf (IV) - VfL Bochum (II)
Viktoria Köln (IV) - 1.FC Nürnberg (II)
Rot-Weiß Essen (IV) - Arminia Bielefeld (II)
1.FC Magdeburg (III) - Eintracht Frankfurt
Erzgebirge Aue (II) - FC Ingolstadt
FSV Zwickau (III) - Hamburger SV
SpVgg Unterhaching (IV) - FSV Mainz 05
FC 08 Villingen (VI) - FC Schalke 04
Dynamo Dresden (II) - RB Leipzig
VfB Lübeck (IV) - FC St. Pauli (II)
Germania Egestorf/Langreder (IV) - 1899 Hoffenheim
BFC Preussen (VI) - 1.FC Köln
FV Ravensburg (V) FC Augsburg
Hansa Rostock (III) - Fortuna Düsseldorf (II)
SC Paderborn (III) - SV Sandhausen (II)
SC Hauenstein (V) - Bayer Leverkusen
FC Homburg (IV) - VfB Stuttgart (II)
FC Carl Zeiss Jena (IV) - FC Bayern München
Bremer SV (V) - Darmstadt 98
Hallescher FC (III) - 1.FC Kaiserslautern (II)
Most spectacular ties:
Eintracht Trier v Borussia Dortmund
Carl Zeiss Jena v Bayern München
Dynamo Dresden v RB Leipzig
Both Trier and Jena have a history of beating professional teams in cup games. Jena reached the semi finals in 2007/08, Trier did the same in 1997/98, and they reached the 3rd round in 2009/10.
There's no love lost between Dresden and Leipzig. It's a Saxonian derby between the two biggest cities in the state (and the two biggest in East Germany, behind Berlin), and obviously, it's a duel between a traditional East German club vs. the Red Bull franchise. Dresden have had a lot of problems with hooligan riots in recent years which culminated in the club's exclusion from DFB-Pokal in 2012/13. But these problems usually occur in away games, so maybe it won't be too bad this time.
Eintracht Trier v Borussia Dortmund
Carl Zeiss Jena v Bayern München
Dynamo Dresden v RB Leipzig
Both Trier and Jena have a history of beating professional teams in cup games. Jena reached the semi finals in 2007/08, Trier did the same in 1997/98, and they reached the 3rd round in 2009/10.
There's no love lost between Dresden and Leipzig. It's a Saxonian derby between the two biggest cities in the state (and the two biggest in East Germany, behind Berlin), and obviously, it's a duel between a traditional East German club vs. the Red Bull franchise. Dresden have had a lot of problems with hooligan riots in recent years which culminated in the club's exclusion from DFB-Pokal in 2012/13. But these problems usually occur in away games, so maybe it won't be too bad this time.
What happened to Paderborn? Promotion, relegation, relegation. How?
I didn't follow them too closely but they lost a lot of players last summer, and their coach André Breitenreiter moved to Schalke. His successor, Markus Gellhaus, was on his first job as a senior coach, and he had a bad start (7 ponts in 10 games), so Paderborn fired him in October and replaced him with bigmouth Stefan Effenberg. He was on his first job as well - and this was an accident waiting to happen. I think Effenberg won his first couple of games but then it all went wrong very quickly. The club didn't sack him until early March, when it was already too late.
Strange can anyone think of any other club that raised so quickly then fell back as quick.
Portsmouth, Blackpool? But that wasn't back to back years.
Portsmouth, Blackpool? But that wasn't back to back years.
In Germany, the story of SSV Ulm is even worse:
1997/98 - 3rd level (Regionalliga), 1st place
1998/99 - 2. Bundesliga, 3rd place
1999/00 - Bundesliga, 16th place
2000/01 - 2. Bundesliga, 16th place
2001/02 - 5th level because they didn't get a licence for 3rd level and had to file for insolvency
In the following years, the club was involved in the big betting scandal and had two more cases of insolvency. A couple of weeks ago, they've been promoted to Regionalliga Südwest (4th level).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSV_Ulm_1846#SSV_Ulm_1846
1997/98 - 3rd level (Regionalliga), 1st place
1998/99 - 2. Bundesliga, 3rd place
1999/00 - Bundesliga, 16th place
2000/01 - 2. Bundesliga, 16th place
2001/02 - 5th level because they didn't get a licence for 3rd level and had to file for insolvency
In the following years, the club was involved in the big betting scandal and had two more cases of insolvency. A couple of weeks ago, they've been promoted to Regionalliga Südwest (4th level).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSV_Ulm_1846#SSV_Ulm_1846
Let's agree that the promotion to Bundesliga was an accident. Paderborn were and are basically a third level club. So a promotion to second level every now and then for a few years, ok. But the top flight was simply too much for them. Even in second level last year, they lacked the ability to attract the necessary players. They have no money, no tradition, no large fan base, no big stadium. They weren't even allowed to have games ending later than 22:00 due to their stadium lacking the proper papers.Lorric wrote:What happened to Paderborn? Promotion, relegation, relegation. How?
"Put it in your signature to save you the trouble of writing it over and over again."
Are there preliminary rounds for lower-tier teams?
It's nice that the top tier teams are involved in the first round of the cup, though.
It's nice that the top tier teams are involved in the first round of the cup, though.
No, the 28 teams from 3rd level and lower are qualified via their league position (top 4 of 3.Bundesliga) and regional Cups (21 winners). 3 regions send a 2nd team, either the Cup runners-up or the best in their regional leagues.EarlofBug wrote:Are there preliminary rounds for lower-tier teams?