Licensing commission: All teams of LIQUI MOLY HBL and 2. HBL with licenses for season 2021/22
Cologne, April 20th, 2021 - The independent licensing commission of the Handball-Bundesliga e.V. decided today that all clubs of the 1st and 2nd Handball-Bundesliga will receive the license for the upcoming season. This decision is subject to the respective sporting qualification.
However, Wilhelmshavener HV (2. HBL) is the only club receiving the license for the coming season on condition that the current liquidity gap is closed by May 12, 2021 at the latest. This must be proven by licensing commission. If the condition is not met within the set deadline, the license will be deemed not to have been granted.
Olaf Rittmeier, member of the licensing commission: "Despite a very tense situation, the licensing process for the 2021/2022 season is positive due to several factors. The clubs' general managers have succeeded in significantly reducing running costs over a longer period, also by waiving players' salaries. A positive factor is that sponsors have largely remained loyal to the clubs in this difficult economic situation - certainly also because it has been possible to maintain the leagues' match operations to date and thus also to secure a TV presence with very good coverage. Financial subventions from the federal, state and local governments also help to secure the existence of the clubs."
Mattes Rogowski, Head of Sports & Licensing at HBL GmbH, adds: "After more than a year of the Corona pandemic, it is paying off that the clubs have managed solidly in the previous years and have successively reduced negative equity. Even if there is still a long way to go, the granting of the licenses after intensive examination - partly subject to conditions - is very gratifying."
The independent licensing commission of the HBL e.V. includes, in addition to the chairman, Rolf Nottmeier, judge at the Labor Court Minden, Olaf Rittmeier, tax consultant, and Frank Bohmann, Managing Director of Handball-Bundesliga GmbH. The commission is supported by Mattes Rogowski, Head of Sports & Licensing Procedures at HBL GmbH.