Insurance Policy Led by Catlin, XL Gives Cash Boost to German Soccer Team

By Alex Duff | August 24, 2015

A rare insurance deal gave Borussia Dortmund, Germany’s only publicly traded soccer club, a financial boost even as the team had its worst performance in the Bundesliga championship in seven years.

Dortmund finished seventh in the league, failing to qualify for Europe’s elite Champions League. Net income fell to 5.5 million euros ($6.2 million) from 12 million euros for the year through June 30, the club said in an earnings statement last week. Sales rose by 5.9 percent to 276 million euros.

Dortmund’s sales outside regular revenue such as TV rights, ticket sales and advertising more than tripled to 17 million euros mainly as a result of the insurance contract, which protected the team against lost revenue for not reaching the Champions League.

The club was in the third year of the contract with about 12 underwriters led by Catlin Group Ltd. and XL Group plc. Dortmund took out the policy in 2012 when the team won its second straight Bundesliga title.

Topics Germany

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