Borussia Dortmund generated total consolidated gross income in the amount of €515.4 million in the 2022/23 financial year. That corresponds to an increase of 12.8% compared to the previous year (€456.9 million). For the first time since the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic, Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA is back in the black. The consolidated result for the past financial year closed with a profit in the amount of €9.6 million.

At the annual results press conference, the core message conveyed by the management on the figures for the 2022/23 financial year was: Borussia Dortmund have successfully overcome the effects of the pandemic, are growing again, are in the black and are working on again being able to propose a dividend payout to the Supervisory Board next year for the 2023/24 financial year.

"We've put the years of darkness behind us," said Chairman of the Board Hans-Joachim Watzke. "Three corona years cost us over €150 million as we were deprived of our business model." Of the after-tax profit of €9.6 million that has now been achieved, he said: "This is a positive sign."

After the elimination of all pandemic-related restrictions and the launch of a UEFA pilot project permitting spectators to stand at European games for the first time in 25 years, BVB were able to fully utilise SIGNAL IDUNA PARK at all home matches in the 2022/23 season (17 in the Bundesliga, four in the UEFA Champions League) and achieve the highest average attendance in Bundesliga history (81,228). The direct consequence was a significant increase in ticketing revenue (€+20.8 million) and conference, catering and other income (€+15.6 million).

Group revenues totalled €418.2 million, "which is 18.9% more than in the previous year" and means "the highest turnover in BVB's history, excluding transfers", explained Managing Director Thomas Treß. "We've achieved something that we did not believe we could so soon three years ago," said Treß: "Our business model is completely back following the removal of the corona restrictions. Sponsorship has grown every year, even during the pandemic." In this area, Borussia Dortmund have recorded an increase of €16.2 million to €142.3 million. Treß continued: "Borussia Dortmund's appeal, significance and charisma did not suffer during the pandemic."

However, BVB – as well as all other 17 clubs in the Bundesliga – were hit with decreased income from the marketing of overseas TV rights. The payout for BVB was around €15 million, which is only about half as much as before corona. "It is urgently necessary to continue the Bundesliga's strategic development," stressed Thomas Treß.

For the current financial year, the management announced that it would release the surplus reserves as well as parts of the capital reserves in order to offset them against the accumulated losses carried forward from the three years of the pandemic, "so that we will be in the position to propose a dividend payout once again in the future," Watzke explained. (br)