On Thursday, 3. October 2024, the Annual General Meeting of 1. FC Union Berlin e.V. took place in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

During the event, the board of directors, the supervisory board and the honorary council reported on the past season – with the future of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei one of the central topics that was both highlighted and discussed.

proAF: The Unioner’s Stadium

The Stadion An der Alten Försterei has been 1. FC Union Berlin and its predecessor clubs’ home ever since 1920. However, the ‘Alte Försterei’ has long since come to mean much more. This is where the heart of the club beats, where generations of Unioners feel a part of their heritage; where they celebrate their successes and stand together in the most difficult of times. This is where Union history was and continues to be written – a new chapter now awaits us.

After reviewing the future expansion of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, which is taking ever clearer shape, as is the development of the entire stadium site, Union president, Dirk Zingler, emphasised: “Our stadium should always belong to the people who care about it most, the members of 1. FC Union Berlin and their families, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren".

Therefore, through the initiative of 1. FC Union Berlin, as the main shareholder, the supervisory board and the management board of the AG will propose to the General Meeting of ‘An der Alten Försterei’ Stadionbetriebs AG, which will take place on 13. November 2024, that a capital increase be resolved and that new stadium shares be issued. For the first time since 2011, the club's members, who now number more than 67,000, would have the opportunity to become the owners of their stadium.

Honouring Union's Stalwarts

In the presence of both the men’s and women’s professional teams, Union stalwarts were honoured as usual this year. The bronze badge of honour was awarded to:

• Beatrice Flemming
• Jan Hollants
• Erik Lautenschläger
• Ute Arbeit
• Philipp Dankert

The silver badge of honour was awarded to:

• Roberto ‘Opi’ Opitz.

Honorary member, Jochen Lesching, was especially acknowledged for his many years of commitment to the ‘UNION VEREINT. Schulter an Schulter’ foundation. He resigned from his position as chairman of the board on 30th June and was appointed honorary chairman of the foundation by the board at the suggestion of the founders.

Report of the Executive Committee

In front of 1,354 members, Dirk Zingler looked back on an exciting year of football for the club in the report of the executive committee:

“It was a very emotional year that challenged us enormously on many levels. The men's team's run in the Champions League and their battle against relegation; a sensational season in which the women's first and U23 teams were promoted; outstanding results from our youth teams – we were all caught up in a huge range of emotions. In the end, it was one of the most successful years for our club in sporting terms, and one for which we have fought long and hard for,” said Zingler.

The completion and opening ceremony of the Oberspree training centre was a huge milestone for the club. One of Europe's most modern training facilities, offering a home to the club's youth and amateur teams, was built in a three-year construction period at a cost of €25 million. The project was supported by funding from the Berlin state budget and the federal budget.

“Hats-off to Lutz Munack, Dirk Thieme and project manager, Stephanie Ahlberg, and their team,” continued Zingler, commenting on the completion of one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the club's history.

“Bringing a project like this, with so many people involved and so many different sponsors, to a successful conclusion on schedule and on budget deserves the utmost respect. We have created excellent conditions for the athletic development of our young players. I expect everyone who uses the TZO now and in the future to strive for maximum athletic success and I sincerely do hope that they achieve it.”

Record Revenues and Profits

In accordance with the DFL's licensing requirements, board member and CFO, Oskar Kosche, explained the consolidated financial figures for 1. FC Union Berlin e.V. and its subsidiaries.

In the 2023/24 season, Union recorded revenues of €186.39 million, the highest in its history. The reported profit amounts to €1.09 million and has resulted in an increase in positive equity to €2.91 million.

For the current 2024/25 season, Union are expecting revenues of around €177.26 million – the targeted consolidated net profit is expected to be €0.29 million.

“For the first time in three years, we have to plan without income from European competition, but we most certainly do not want to scale back our ambitions for the further development of the Union Group. This is a challenging task for our employees, and I am extremely grateful to the entire organisation for the way it is dealing with this situation. The fact that we can expect to break even without the €45 million from the Champions League is by no means a given”, said Dirk Zingler, assessing the results in terms of their relevance to the club.

“In view of the economic dimensions that we have now reached, the question arises as to whether a registered club [e.V] is still the right legal form for our organisation in the longer term. I warmly invite all Union members to take part in these deliberations and to discuss whether other legal forms could also ensure both non-profit status and the current level of co-determination at 1. FC Union Berlin, whilst also opening up additional business opportunities”.

Executive Board, Supervisory Board and Council of Honour Discharged

In his report, Dr. Dirk Fischer paid tribute to Dirk Zingler's twenty years of service as Union president on behalf of the supervisory board. Additionally, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities, the supervisory board approved the annual financial statements at its meeting on 25th September 2024 and discharged the executive board for the 2023/2024 fiscal year.

The chairman of the honorary council, Wolfgang Vallentin, congratulated the Fan and Members Department (FuMA) on its twentieth anniversary and praised the numerous volunteer activities around Union.

Following the reports and discussions, the General Meeting voted by a clear majority in favour of discharging the supervisory board and the honorary council.

Motions

At the request of the presidium, the General Meeting voted on a total of 25 amendments to the statutes and an amendment to the membership fee regulations. Both motions received the required majority of 2/3 of the members present.

One motion put forward by two club members was adopted by a simple majority. This calls on the board of 1. FC Union Berlin to lobby the DFB, the DFL, other clubs and politicians for a new approach to assessing and sanctioning the use of pyrotechnics by fans at football matches.

Conversion and Ownership: The Future of the Stadion An der Alten Försterei

At the end of the meeting, a film tour took the attending Union members across the future stadium site and provided a vision of the completed shell of the stadium. After the already completed renovation of the Forsthaus and the opening of the new professional training ground in the summer, construction of a car park and the second professional training ground on top of it is scheduled to begin in May 2025, immediately at the end of the season. At the same time, the joint headquarters for the men's and women's professional teams will be built, forming the heart of the new professional training centre.

“We are approaching deadline day for many of the plans and are gradually entering the realisation phase of our construction projects”, said Zingler, explaining the current status of the extensive infrastructure measures. “The most important thing is that everything which is being constructed here will shape our club for decades to come, and above all, is in the hands of the people at Union. The more people who feel responsible for their stadium because it actually belongs to them, the more certain it is that it can be used to best benefit the community”.