Supervisory board on third division license: “We are prepared”

If FC Schalke 04 is relegated to the 3rd division, is its very existence at stake? The supervisory board has addressed its members on this topic.

FC Schalke 04 is in a relegation battle in the 2nd division. Relegation to the 3rd division is to be avoided at all costs.

Because in this case, many fear that the existence of the club is in question. The supervisory board of the Royal Blues has now spoken out in a letter to members. It states that the club is also prepared for a drop to third class.

“We are in the international break – eight match days before the end of the season. Our focus remains firmly on staying in the league. It is the goal to which everything is subordinated in order to then tackle the implementation of further plans for the future of the club,” the club wrote to its 180,000 members.

The board has signaled to the supervisory board that S04 will receive the license for the 2nd Bundesliga without conditions and requirements, it continues. But what would it look like in the 3rd division? The Group annual report published a week ago revealed that the club cannot rule out insolvency in the event of relegation.

“In view of the current situation, questions are often asked about the 3rd division scenario. What we can tell you for sure: We have submitted the documents for the license to the DFB on time. We expect to be granted a provisional license subject to conditions and requirements, which must be met by a deadline,” explained the supervisory body in the e-mail signed by Axel Hefer, Moritz Dörnemann and Sven Kirstein. “We are therefore prepared for this scenario, even if nobody wants it,” it continues.

The aim of the Board of Directors is still to streamline structures, secure and increase revenue and reduce costs. The Board is working on optimally positioning the club for the 2024/2025 season. “Visible initial steps, such as the restructuring of the sport and the strengthening of our sales power, have already been implemented,” writes the Supervisory Board. “In addition, the focus is on far-reaching savings in material costs and greater efficiency in administration.” The principle remains to ensure a competitive budget for sport in the coming years as well