An era is coming to an end. Rüdiger Fritsch will step down from his position as president of SV Darmstadt 98 after 13 years. He served on the Lilies' executive board for a total of 17 years. Between 2008 and 2025, he experienced some very difficult times, but also incredibly positive moments at Böllenfalltor. From his appointment to the executive board to bankruptcy filings, special people and incredible advancements to infrastructure-related decisions: Together with Fritsch, we look back on 17 special moments from his 17 years on the SV 98 executive board.
Rüdiger Fritsch first held a position at the club in 2008. He was appointed vice president of the executive committee under Hans Kessler. At the time of his appointment, he had already been involved for several months, as President Kessler had asked Fritsch and his expertise for help in averting SV 98’s financial difficulties and impending insolvency. The task could not have been more ambitious: The Lilies had to be saved and their continued existence as a club was to be secured.
I simply had a passion for football—and for working for a traditional club. At the time, I wasn't fully aware of how difficult the task would actually be. But my interest and desire overcame any hesitation.
In March, SV 98 officially announced its insolvency and filed for insolvency proceedings. What followed were many months of existential fear and enormous efforts to avert the worst-case scenario. This included star marches, numerous rescue operations, and a charity match against Bayern Munich. The board had to fight on many fronts. But the battle was successful: the insolvency application was withdrawn.
This was the first major success of the work of Hans Kessler's entire team. When the fax went out announcing the withdrawal of the insolvency application, I actually had tears in my eyes. It was pure relief and joy.
In 2012, Fritsch was elected president of SV 98. Financially, the club continued to consolidate, but there were also some challenges to be addressed on the pitch. The Lilies were fighting to avoid relegation from the third division. In December 2012, Fritsch appointed a certain Dirk Schuster, who had recently joined direct rivals Stuttgarter Kickers. At the time of the signing, the club was at the bottom of the table. In the second half of the season, the Lilies launched a major comeback, but missed safety on the final matchday. And yet, Schuster’s appointment proved to be a wise move by Fritsch…
It was a decision that turned out to be absolutely the right one. A highly successful period began for both sides, characterised by mutual trust—and a constant demand for structural improvements.
The Lilies hadn’t managed to avoid relegation on the pitch, but they benefited from the economic rationality they had adopted a few years earlier. Local rivals Offenbacher Kickers had their third-division license revoked. The result: forced relegation for OFC, while SV 98 managed to stay in the league.
This was a tremendous joy because we were able to continue on the path we had chosen. What was particularly piquant, of course, was that it was Kickers Offenbach and not any other club in Germany. It was another starting signal to roll up our sleeves and take the next step.
In the following season, the South Hesse team transformed from a relegation candidate into a team in contention for promotion. At the end of the season, they finished third in the table, qualifying for the relegation playoffs. This would go down in history: After a disappointing 1-3 first-leg result against Arminia Bielefeld, the Lilies triumphed in the second leg, beating the East Westphalians 4-2 away in extra time.
The game is hard to describe or categorise. No Hollywood director could have conceived such a script. It was simply magical, full of emotion—pure goosebumps.
As in the previous season, the Lilies were tipped as the first candidate for relegation, and once again they managed to defy the predictions. From the very beginning of the season, SV 98 established themselves in the top third of the table, with a tight three-way race developing behind league leaders Ingolstadt between SV 98, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, and Karlsruher SC. On the final matchday, it was the Lilies who secured promotion thanks to a Kempe free kick against FC St. Pauli. Their progress from the 3. Liga to the Bundesliga was complete.
This was the continuation of an incredibly intense, successful story. A sensational moment! Back in the Bundesliga after three decades! Another moment that almost had you searching for the hidden camera.
A constant pioneer of the previous successful years was Jonathan Heimes and his „You Must Fight“ wristbands. The football fan, who battled cancer for many years, succumbed to the disease in March 2016. His death shocked people across Darmstadt and the surrounding region. Club representatives, coaches, and the team attended the funeral. To this day, „Johnny“ remains a presence in the stadium and in people’s minds.
Even the greatest fighter sometimes has no chance. I feel incredible appreciation for his endurance and his gift for inspiring others. We have lost a man who had become a truly iconic figure.
Chapter three of the sensational years. SV 98 also held their own in the Bundesliga, managing to avoid relegation for the only time in the club’s history. With just one game remaining, the Lilies completed the miracle with an away win at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
All superlatives had truly been exhausted. The third consecutive sporting success, once again pure madness. Words were barely enough to describe it.
Darmstadt 98 will continue to play at its traditional Böllenfalltor stadium. The Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor is to be gradually rebuilt „as it stands.“ The club and city announced this in a joint press conference that summer. Four other alternative locations had also been examined, but the conclusion was that no new construction could be built at these sites.
In the jungle of feasibility studies, we carefully weighed all the pros and cons – and ultimately made the right decision: a clear focus on remaining at Böllenfalltor.
Finally, the excavators started rolling: the demolition of the back straight marked the beginning of the reconstruction of the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. For many fans, the demolition meant the (temporary) loss of a long-time regular seat. But from an economic perspective, the work was inevitable.
The back straight was a symbol of the old Böllenfalltor, steeped in tradition. Its demolition was rationally necessary, but emotionally difficult. I was impressed by how many fans took memorabilia with them, like breakwaters or seat shells, thus ensuring that the tradition lives on.
After a renovation phase lasting only about a year, fans were able to stand in the back straight again. The first match after completion drew 2-2 against newly promoted VfL Osnabrück. Due to global events, only three more matches could initially be watched from the new stadium area…
It was the first piece of the puzzle on the path to modern infrastructure, and at the same time a very emotional moment. A successful grandstand: standing people at the front, sitting people at the back. A strong visual representation of the Böllenfalltor, something to be proud of.
A global pandemic paralysed football and many other aspects of society. Football was suspended for several months, but then resumed in May with ghost games. Many professional clubs faced serious financial difficulties due to the loss of revenue, and SV 98 also faced significant economic challenges.
A terrible time for football, for sport, for society as a whole. Overnight, it became clear how quickly everything could turn 180 degrees. The shock was profound, coupled with massive financial concerns for the club. No spectators, no sponsorships... several crisis meetings followed. And in this case, "crisis" wasn't an overused word, but reality. The games behind closed doors took some getting used to: First, no fans at all, then few. Everyone had to adapt their behavior. And yet, the support was palpable, within the bounds of what was possible.
The second construction phase was also able to begin – albeit with a slight delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Jochen Partsch, City Treasurer André Schellenberg, and Rüdiger Fritsch and Michael Weilguny, Presidents of SV Darmstadt 1898 e.V. and Managing Directors of SV Darmstadt 98 Stadion GmbH, respectively, performed the symbolic ceremony of filling the foundation stone capsule and subsequently sealing it. Included in the foundation stone were a Lilies jersey from the 2020/21 season and an edition of the Darmstädter Echo newspaper published on March 1st.
The second phase of construction was long overdue. The old main stand was a wreck in every respect: wet, windy, unusable spaces. I was glad that the new one was finally being built. It had served well for decades, but its time had come.
During the general meeting, Hans Kessler was appointed Honourary President. Kessler had rendered invaluable services during his presidency (2007–2012) and as a member of the Board of Directors (2012–2015).
It was an honour for me to be able to help shape this award for Hans Kessler. There could hardly be a more deserved honour. Absolutely right, considering his contributions to the club.
SV Darmstadt 98’s new main stand at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor was partially commissioned in October 2022 and fully inaugurated in spring 2023. Upon completion, the stadium reached a total capacity of 17,810 spectators. The inauguration marked the completion of the stadium’s modernisation, making it ready for the future.
This was the final construction phase and also the completion of the renovation work. Emotionally different than promotion or staying in the league, but a very important milestone. A foundation on which the club can build in the coming years. And a good feeling that everything worked out so well.
Bundesliga! SV 98 crowned an incredible second-division season with promotion back to the top flight on the penultimate matchday. Head coach Torsten Lieberknecht’s team won 1-0 at home against 1. FC Magdeburg – and there was no stopping them after that.
The return of superlatives, another sensational moment! For Darmstadt 98, promotion to the Bundesliga is what international trophies are for other clubs: the greatest realistic honor. It's great to see that the development has continued to bear fruit. Three Bundesliga seasons within ten years – that's an outstanding record.
An era is coming to an end. Fritsch announced in the spring that he would not run for president again. After 17 years on the Executive Board, including 13 as chairman, Fritsch’s last day at work will be on October 21.
Leading the way for 13 years in this always emotional, mostly short-term, and rarely rational business takes a lot of energy and energy, which eventually fades. I'm looking forward to getting up in the morning with less responsibility. And no longer having to completely focus my weekends on the DFL and its schedule.
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.