VW crisis: Does VfL Wolfsburg threaten that? Worries about jobs!

VW crisis: Does VfL Wolfsburg threaten that? Worries about jobs!

The situation at Volkswagen, Europe's largest car manufacturer, is tense! It is bubbling in Wolfsburg, because the closure of works and the loss of thousands of jobs are in the room. But what does that mean for VfL Wolfsburg, the group's football club? The Volkswagen Arena is not only used for the home games against FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund, but also as a place of negotiation between VW and the IG Metall union. The terrible scenarios of job cuts and savings are discussed here, which could also affect VfL football.

VfL Wolfsburg, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen, depends heavily on the financial decisions of the group. The club is currently in the 14th place in the Bundesliga, despite millions of support. At a meeting in September it was assured that VW's grants were not in danger, but the uncertainty remains. In internal discussions, it is already asked why VW can still afford an "expensive toy" like VfL while thousands of jobs are threatened. These questions buzz through the heads of the employees and fans, while the concerns about the future of the club are growing.

Financial interdependencies

The financial relationship between VfL and Volkswagen is complex. A domination and profit transfer agreement states that the club has to pay profits, for example from the sale of top players, to the parent company. In return, VW also compensates for VfL's losses. The annual support of Volkswagen amounts to around 80 million euros, which is a dream for many Bundesliga clubs, but is not enough to compete with top clubs like Bayern Munich.

VfL has already changed its strategy and is now relating to young talents that are promising. Trainer Ralph Hasenhüttl emphasizes that VfL is part of Volkswagen and that the club can only be doing well if the group is doing well. But in view of the current crisis, this is a difficult situation for everyone involved!