Live ticker for the 2025 General Meeting

With a picture of the new executive committee, we bid you farewell for the rest of the evening. We wish those who were there a safe journey home and a good night to everyone!

Markus Pfitzner is the new Lilien president. The team is completed by vice presidents Volker Harr and Arnd Zinnhardt, Anne Baumann for finance, and Roy Reinelt-Peter for the sports department and the fan and development department.

You can find all the information in our separate report.

Anne Baumann is also running for another term. Roy Reinelt-Peter is also running for the position of board member of the sports departments and the fan and support department: „I would like to work with the heads of the amateur departments and the fan and support department to ensure that people in amateur sports are more in the spotlight.“ He advocates for modern structures, concepts for further development, greater participation, and even closer integration of the amateur departments.

While Volker Harr is running for another term as vice president, Arnd Zinnhardt is a candidate for the remaining position of vice president. Zinnhardt: „We want to prepare the club at all levels as best as possible for the challenges of the future. Financial solidity, emotions, and success are inextricably linked.“

Presidential candidate Markus Pfitzner introduces himself and his team, which is running for the presidency. „We bring a great deal of complementary expertise and will also approach issues from different perspectives, which I consider a great strength. We will work reliably, seriously, but also very ambitiously to further strengthen our economic path. We want a stable and independent SV 98!“

Pfitzner also addresses the youth performance center (NLZ): „We will renovate the NLZ’s functional building. The steps have already been initiated. We will begin implementation soon to expand capacity.“ He is committed to a membership-based, multi-sport club, and he also clearly supports the 50+1 model.

With their departure from the executive committee, both Rüdiger Fritsch and Wolfgang Arnold are elected honourary members of SV 98 by the approval of all members present.

After the laudation comes the laudation. Following Arnold’s farewell, Frank Wahl, Chairman of the Board of Directors, pays tribute to Rüdiger Fritsch with a lengthy speech. He looks back on the Lilies‘ success story during Fritsch’s tenure. „You have transformed this club from a financially weak third-division team threatened by relegation to a healthy and ambitious second-division team.“

Honourary President Hans Kessler delivered a highly emotional laudation for Wolfgang Arnold, who played a key role in convincing Kessler to take on the presidency of SV 98. The two have since enjoyed a close friendship spanning many years. With this speech, Arnold is officially bid farewell from the presidency, receiving minutes of applause from the members present.

The next items on the agenda are the report of the Auditors‘ Committee and the discussion of the reports. The Executive Committee, the Board of Directors of the Sports Departments and the Fan and Support Department, as well as the Auditors, were discharged by the members.

Wolfgang Arnold, who is stepping down this evening at his own request after 29 years on the executive board, bid farewell to the members with the words: „It has always been my concern to highlight diversity and commitment. For this, I thank everyone who has made this possible. Together, we have achieved a great deal. I am convinced that the sports departments and the fan and supporter department are in good hands and will continue to develop well.“ Here, too, the board of the sports departments and the fan and supporter department received the appropriate and deserved, sustained applause.

Following the financial figures for the past financial year, Volker Harr, Markus Pfitzner and Wolfgang Arnold look at their areas of responsibility.

Anne Baumann presents the financial figures for the 2024/25 season: „We closed the fiscal year with a surplus of €3.58 million. This was primarily due to the sales of Klarer and Mehlem, as well as reaching the third round of the DFB Cup. The transfer profits partially offset the losses in media and sponsorship revenues, as well as ticketing.“

For the current fiscal year, however, Baumann anticipates a decline in revenue of around five million euros. This is primarily due to the decline in media revenues. „A break-even result is not currently expected for this fiscal year.“

Finally, Fritsch thanks the members:

„Thank you to all of you who came. To all the fans and supporters who support our colours. It’s a collaborative effort, so thank you very much!“ He concludes his speech with the following words: „You don’t always have to agree. What is necessary, however, is to always put the interests of the club above individual interests. That has worked very well over the past 13 years. And I’m sure it will continue to work in the future. I’m in a good mood and full of optimism. Bye and stay as you are, because one thing is certain: the SVD will never perish!“

The current president concluded by thanking his family, volunteers, members of the club’s committees, amateur athletes and their department heads, managing directors, and employees. Fritsch also thanked the team, the coaching staff, the staff, former coaches, and players. He extended a special thank you to his colleagues on the executive committee: „We have worked together, laughed, cried, and celebrated all these years. Thank you for unforgettable years, united to always give our best for our glorious club.“ Fritsch’s speech was interrupted by sustained applause.

After Paul Fernie, Rüdiger Fritsch takes the floor again. He recalls the dark early days and the development to the status quo. Fritsch: „Our club now has a solid foundation. We are re-established in German football. We have definitely achieved this goal.“

Fritsch continues: „I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t briefly raise a warning finger. We are in a dynamic competition against major cities with immense substance. With clubs supported by external funds, patrons, and benefactors. Let’s be alert in the future so that the lights continue to burn brightly.“

In his presentation, Paul Fernie looks back on the 2024/25 season from a sporting perspective. Major upheaval, a coaching change, wins, losses, and an emotional finale with the departure of Tobias Kempe. The sporting director’s review once again highlights what a rollercoaster ride the past season has been.

Rüdiger Fritsch used his final speech in office to reiterate the main areas of responsibility to the members present. He highlighted the following key points:

• Economic management and strategic orientation
• Innovation/digitalisation
• Structure/Governance
• Superior organisation of the licensed player area
• Fan culture/club values

He outlines SV 98’s development based on three pillars: infrastructure, finance, and sports. Regarding the financial pillar, SV 98 had a turnover of €4.7 million in the 2012/13 season. Currently, the turnover is just under €50 million. In the area of ​​infrastructure, approximately €70 million has been invested over the years, including in the stadium, the training grounds, the Merck Youth Performance Center, and the training building. Fritsch: „We can say that our infrastructure has been developed from amateur to professional standard in just a few years.“

391 voting members are present that evening at the Böllenfalltorhalle. President Rüdiger Fritsch welcomes those present. This is followed by the approval of the agenda, the commemoration of the deceased, and the election of the chairperson. Dr. Thomas Schröer is confirmed by those present as chairperson.

The entire Lilies professional squad and the coaching staff gathered at the Böllenfalltorhalle to attend the general meeting.