St. Pauli's Plan to Sell Millerntor Stadium To Fans, A Move That Deepens Community Ownership Of The Club:

FC St. Pauli, a club known for its independent spirit and strong connection to the local community, has embarked on an unprecedented move: selling its historic Millerntor Stadium to the fan base. This bold decision is not only a financial strategy but a reflection of the club’s values and vision. To understand why the club is taking this significant step, it is important to explore the club's history and ethos, and the financial challenges it currently faces since being promoted at the end of the 23/24 season.

A Club Committed to it's Values

St. Pauli has long been more than just a football club. Known for counter-culture, the football club is rooted in the politics of the left-wing, and inclusivity. Its fans are active in social causes, and the club has cultivated a fiercely loyal following which stretches beyond Germany. The Millerntor-Stadion, located in Hamburg’s St. Pauli district, is a symbol of this identity—a place where fans are not customers but active participants in the club’s destiny.

Unlike some modern football clubs that prioritize commercial interests and corporate ownership, the Brown and Whites have always sought to maintain a genuine community ethos. This commitment has led to the current decision to sell the ground to the members, ensuring that the home stadium remains in the hands of those who care about its future.

The Pressures in the Modern Game

One of the main reasons St. Pauli are selling the ground to their fans is to secure its financial future in the face of the increasing commercialization in the game. Clubs across Europe are under constant pressure to secure additional revenue streams which leads to the increasing involvement of investors or takeovers. St. Pauli, however, have resisted the idea of corporate ownership, instead upholding the principles of membership and community governance.

By selling the stadium to the fans, St. Pauli aim to minimise the pressures that come with outside involvement. This move allows the club which were founded in 1910 to secure immediate funds without sacrificing their independence and compromising core values. In essence, it is a form of "crowd-funding" that empowers fans to become stakeholders in the club's most important asset—the home of the club.

Preserving the Club’s Legacy

Selling the stadium to the fans is also a way to protect the legacy and future of the club. In a football landscape ever more dominated by finance, many clubs risk face losing their identity as they focus on sponsorship, commercial deals and investments. St. Pauli’s decision is a safeguard against this erosion of its character.

The move to sell the stadium will allow fans to have a say in how the club's biggest asset is managed and ensure that commercial interests don’t take priority over the needs of the community. The goal of the sale is to preserve the 30,000 capacity stadium as a space where the values of inclusivity, and social responsibility are the main focus for generations to come.

Fan Ownership: A Vision for the Future?

This initiative by the North German club taps into a broader and growing trend of fan ownership in the game. In Germany, the 50+1 rule, which requires clubs to be majority-owned by their members, has long been in place to prevent outside investors from having total control. While the rule keeps fan influence strong, the additional step of directly selling the stadium to supporters is unprecedented and showcases the club's commitment to fan involvement.

Whilst other clubs, especially in lower divisions, including in England, names like Exeter City, Bury, AFC WImbledon, Portsmouth FC, Luton Town, and Bath City, have also experimented with fan ownership models, each with different outcomes. Most like Portsmouth FC in 2017, when the fan consortium sold the club to US investor Michael Eisner's Tornante group for £5.67m, are eventually transferred back to corporate ownership. However, St. Pauli's initiative stands out in terms of it's scale and the potential to inspire other clubs to consider similar funding models. This initiative represents a shift away from the generally accepted football business model, which all too often prioritizes short-term profit over long-term community values.

Securing a Collective Future for the Club

The decision to sell the Millerntor to its fans is in line with FC St. Pauli’s vision of football as a force for social good, in an increasingly profit-focussed industry. By involving fans in this process, St. Pauli strengthens the bond between the club and its supporters, ensuring they are an integral part of the club's future.

This initiative, if successful, can open the door for other clubs towards fan-based ownership models as a way to lessen the reliance on commercialization in the game. It demonstrates that football can thrive not just through financial investments but also by harnessing the commitment and support of its most loyal fans.

What Next?

St. Pauli’s choice reflects its commitment to its ideals. By ensuring that its iconic stadium remains in the hands of the fans, the club is safeguarding its legacy and culture for future generations, and reaffirming the belief that football is, above all, a sport for all regardless of income level.

Through the sale of a 46% stake in the ground the club hope to raise an estimated €30-40m. This will be available in the form of shares. The shares are reported by the Hamburger Morgenpost to be available at €750 plus an administration fee of €100.

The launch which is only available to club members is scheduled for Saturday October 19th 2024.