Source: REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
[Saba Sports News] According to German media reports, BMW is considering sponsoring Bayern Munich. Reports suggest that BMW is considering taking over Audi as Bayern Munich’s partner, but progress remains early. Currently, Audi’s sponsorship contract with Bayern Munich extends until 2029, and BMW would need to acquire 8.33% of the shares held by Audi in Bayern Munich AG. Since 2023, BMW has already sponsored Bayern Munich’s basketball team. One reason Audi may withdraw is that from 2026 it plans to participate in F1 team sponsorships, a multi-billion-euro project. Audi’s parent company Volkswagen believes that funding two such important projects simultaneously may prove challenging. Audi began sponsoring Bayern Munich in 2002 and provided vehicles for the team. In 2011, Audi acquired part of Bayern Munich’s shares for €90 million, but things changed in 2015 when BMW began considering replacing Audi and was willing to offer higher sponsorship fees. However, Martin Winterkorn, then CEO of Volkswagen and a member of Bayern Munich’s supervisory board, intervened, leading Audi to increase its sponsorship fee and renew its contract with Bayern Munich until 2025.