FC Bayern München AG deputy CEO Dr Michael Diederich has seen the special cohesion of the FC Bayern family carry him through many moving moments over the past year. “We have celebrated together, suffered together and sometimes also given each other strength and comfort together,” said Diederich in his speech at the club’s annual general meeting. “It’s this togetherness that motivates me to make my contribution with all my strength and responsibility.” He sees it as his task to ensure “that we continue to expand the base so that we can continue to experience such unforgettable moments, for our members, fans and future generations.”
However, according to the 59-year-old, none of this is possible on his own. “It only works together as a team with my two fellow board members, Jan and Max,” and of course with the fans - a strong unit with short lines of communication, clear responsibilities and a high level of trust, says the deputy CEO. “This unites us and forms the foundation for our success”. After all, everyone brings different strengths, perspectives and ideas to the table. “But what unites us is our common goal to achieve the best for our club.”
“Dialogue with fans is essential”
In order to hear from the members themselves and to feel what moves them, dialogue with them is essential, said Diederich. It means “the discussions in the fan dialogue working group are of enormous importance”, so that he understands many club events as well as the needs and wishes of the people he represents. Diederich thanked them for their trust and the dialogue, which has always been “open, honest and fair, just as it should be in a family”.
In order to successfully shape the future of the club together, a strong financial foundation is needed in addition to sporting success. According to Diederich, the figures he is able to present are “far more than mere statistics, they are the result of our hard work, our commitment and our love for our club”. They show “how solidly we are positioned economically”.
Joy at record numbers
The current global conditions with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine as well as record inflation with numerous insolvencies were anything but easy, Diederich began. “It is all the more remarkable that we succeeded in achieving record group turnover of €952 million, which corresponds to an increase of over 11 percent”. Earnings after tax rose by 21 percent to €43 million and were “the second-best result in the club's history”, said the CFO. The pre-tax result was also pleasing, as earnings rose by over 15 percent to €63 million.
FC Bayern München AG increased its turnover by around 11 percent to €908 million. The after-tax figure of €29 million represents an increase of 26 percent – “that's the strongest annual result in five years!” said a delighted Diederich. “All in all, we’re reporting record figures with double-digit growth in all areas.” At €571 million, equity is therefore at a record level, with a ratio of 55 percent. “We can proudly announce that we have no bank liabilities,” said Diederich – that is unique in Europe and guarantees financial independence.
“Thank you very much for your solidarity”
While the staff cost ratio was further reduced to 43.7 percent, the management board was also able to propose a 33 percent increase in the dividend from 30 to 40 Cents. The eV will also receive €9 million to make important investments in the club. Three million will be distributed to long-standing partners and shareholders Allianz, adidas and Audi. “Thank you very much for your long-standing commitment to our club,” said Diederich.
FC Bayern's CFO was particularly pleased that the DFL, to whose executive committee he was recently elected, was able to generate an average of €1.121 billion in revenue per season when awarding media rights “in difficult times for 36 clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2”. Now it is important that FC Bayern also receives the corresponding share that it has brought to the negotiations through its popularity.
Most successful transfer business in the club's history
Sponsorship resulted in a turnover of €226 million last year, mainly due to the extension of contracts with existing partners, a drop of eight percent. “However, we can already make a positive forecast for the coming season,” declared Diederich, who is also pleased to welcome new partners to the family, such as the Schwarz Group and Bitpanda.
Turnover in merchandising grew to €135 million, an increase of 23 percent. In match operations, turnover rose to €227 million. According to Diederich, the highest increase in turnover “of no less than 69 percent” was “achieved through the most successful transfer business in the club's history”. All in all, significantly more is done on the marketing side than at comparable clubs. “That shows what a force and strength our club has,” said Diederich.
In a European comparison, however, the financial disadvantage caused by the lack of TV revenue is “particularly drastic”, according to Diederich. “Almost everyone has an advantage in national and international revenue.” This is why FC Bayern is only in 10th place in a European comparison. “But if we look at the marketing revenue of these 10 clubs, we jump from 10th to first place and are the leader in the area of marketing.” According to the CFO, this is the only reason why FC Bayern can remain competitive in Europe and measure itself against the other clubs. One example of the good marketing strategy was once again the Audi Summer Tour in South Korea in 2024. In addition to huge fan enthusiasm, a new partner was also acquired, “which we will announce next week,” said Diederich.
But in addition to the figures, the deputy CEO emphasised once again that the people are the decisive factor, because “everything we strive for at FC Bayern, we do for our fans.” Digital accessibility is therefore a new, important topic, as is the newly created Teens Club, which closes a gap between the Kids Club and adult members.
“To summarise, dear fans and members, what should you take home with you today?” asked Diederich at the end of his speech, and provided the answers right away: “The second-best annual result in the club's history, record sales, FC Bayern as a beacon in terms of equity, a top dividend, the leading position in marketing throughout Europe and a high level of social responsibility”, which the club fulfils.
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