Report: BMW set to pay €800m and replace Audi as Bayern Munich shareholder

According to a report by Manager Magazin (paywalled, teaser version can be found here), Bayern Munich are going to have a new shareholder/sponsor soon. German automaker BMW are set to buy out Audi and enter into a partnership Bayern by 2025 at the latest.

Currently, Audi owns 8.33% of the Munich-based club, with another 16.67% spit evenly between financial services giant Allianz and German kit-maker Adidas. The remaining 75% of the shares belong to the club members, in keeping with the Bundesliga’s 50+1 rule.

According to the report, Bayern Supervisory Board member Edmund Stoiber already confirmed that the two parties had signed a letter of intent the year before. The €800m paid by BMW will serve to buy out Audi’s stake in the club, as well as sponsorship over the period remaining on Audi’s contract. Currently, Audi has a car sponsorship agreement with Bayern that runs till 2025.

To be honest, this move makes a ton of sense for both parties. It’s a wonder why BMW, a Bavarian company, never attempted to invest in Bayern Munich before this. For the club, having a new sponsor means a significant increase in sponsorship revenue, and being associated with BMW as a brand is perhaps more desirable than being associated with Audi and Volkswagen.

We look forward to the days when players will pull up to the Sabener Strasse in their brand new Beemers. Maybe we’ll even have a “BMW Cup” and Eintracht Frankfurt can be invited. The possibilities are endless.