Rüdiger Fritsch: „My goal was always to hand over an orderly transition and a well-tended field to my successor. I now consider this time to be the right one. We have developed excellently in terms of sport for over a decade and are now an integral part of German professional football. Grassroots sport is also an integral part of our club culture, as is the club’s social life, as evidenced by our recent break with 15,000 members. And in terms of infrastructure, we have positioned SV 98 for the future with the construction of the training grounds, the functional building, and especially the stadium renovation. SV 98 is financially healthy and on a stable path. All those who support the Lilies can be proud of this. However, the strength and energy to lead a vibrant and equally demanding club like Darmstadt 98 over such a long period from season to season and to develop it positively are also finite. I am therefore looking forward to being able to do things again this fall that are not exclusively related to football.“
The 63-year-old commercial lawyer adds: „Until my retirement in six months, I can promise that I will do everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition of the business. This is one of the reasons why I deliberately decided to announce my decision with sufficient advance notice. In this context, I am extremely pleased that Markus Pfitzner, one of the current vice presidents, will be running for president and, together with Anne Baumann, Volker Harr, and a complete team, will face the vote of the members. Continuity and reliability are the virtues that have sustained this association since Hans Kessler’s presidency.“
The members will decide at the ordinary general meeting in October 2025 who will succeed Rüdiger Fritsch and Wolfgang Arnold, who will also no longer be running for the presidency.
