Associations

Sport inspires and connects people.

We have been advising and auditing local clubs up to Bundesliga teams in football and other sports for many years. At the same time, we advise (professional) athletes and their advisors.

When advising clubs, issues around non-profit status play a role first of all, e.g. in the amateur sports sector the question of permissible remuneration for amateur athletes and e.g. in the case of professional clubs the extent to which they can nevertheless be recognised as non-profit and which rules have to be followed in this respect.

Keywords here are:

• Losses in economic business operations
• Number of commercial operations and benefits for members, e.g. in the sale of season tickets or in the fan shop.
• Minimum wage and recording of working hours (especially in NLZs)

In general, the financial pressure in sport is increasing. The Covid pandemic, for example, led to lower spectator income. The energy crisis will reduce sponsorship income.
In the medium term, the ageing of fans will have a negative impact on the clubs’ revenue situation. For example, more than every second football fan in Germany is older than 50. It will become increasingly important to attract a younger target group to club sport; this will require innovation, a digitalisation strategy and new types of marketing concepts.
Our services include in particular:

• Foundation advice
• Accounting and preparation of annual financial statements
• Preparation of tax returns and proof of non-profit status
• Preparation of general meetings
• Accompanying amendments to the articles of association

For national football leagues:

• Audit of annual financial statements, review of financial statements
• KESt exemption applications for player loans
• Tax optimisation of investment projects
• Licensing procedures