for image it is clear who has recently ruled over Hamburger SV. The tabloid only mentions the name Thomas Wüstefeld in connection with the unofficial title “HSV-Boss”, and how much the medical entrepreneur was able to expand his influence at the traditional club can be guessed by looking at the latest headlines. Wüstefeld voluntarily waived his “boss salary”, it says in an article headline. Which in turn raises questions: Who is that? And what is he going to do with HSV?
Wüstefeld, 53, has made a steep climb in the club hierarchy within a very short time: In October of last year he and his company Calejo GmbH took over 5.11 percent of the shares in HSV Fußball-AG, in a direct deal with the entrepreneur Klaus- Michael Kühne, who says he regrets the investment in his heart club. Kühne continues to hold a 15.33 percent stake in the AG, the largest shareholder is the entire association with more than 75 percent.
In November, Wüstefeld rose to the position of chairman of the supervisory board – an office that he will temporarily put aside, since he was promoted to the board of directors at the beginning of January in place of Klaus Wettstein, who was already departing in the summer. In this role, Wüstefeld will provide his services to HSV for a year “pro bono”, that is, free of charge.
Wüstefeld would like to let his contacts in business and politics play
This march through the institutions reminded some observers of Hamburg’s sport of that of Bernd Hoffmann, who four years ago had been able to settle down at the top of the second division with a similar speed before he was exiled by the HSV bodies after a lost power struggle. Wüstefeld, on the other hand, assures that he wants to return to the control committee after the interim year on the board and until then let his contacts in the Hanseatic economy and politics play, so that the club can cope with the pandemic challenges and find a way out of the red.
Remains the largest shareholder, but very much regrets his commitment to HSV: Klaus-Michael Kühne.
(Photo: Christian Charisius / dpa)
The ghost games ordered by the Hamburg Senate hit HSV particularly hard: In the second division, the stadium income contributes a huge part of the total budget, the HSV managers have calculated extremely optimistically with an average of 30,000 spectators for this season. Wüstefeld therefore wants to discuss a relaxation of the measures with the Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) this week, his argumentative line has already leaked: Why are 2,000 of 2,200 seats in the Elbphilharmonie allowed to be occupied while the airy Volksparkstadion, which can hold 57,000 people must remain empty?
Another investor should position himself at HSV
At HSV there is not only a need for an influential voice, but also for economic expertise. Wüstefeld is said to have recently made enormous profits with its medical technology company and, in particular, to have occupied a vacant position in the market with a corona PCR rapid test developed in-house. Otherwise not much is known about the new strong man at HSV. According to his own information, Wüstefeld has had “the diamond in his heart” since he was a child. He recently met the professional team during a visit to the training camp.
However, it is speculated that the next player at HSV will be in position at the same time: Talks with Detlef Dinsel, partner in a billion-dollar investment company and from 2012 to 2019 shareholders at FC Augsburg, are said to be at an advanced stage. Apparently the opinion has prevailed that the city of Hamburg urgently needs a first division team again.