Japan Journal of Sport Sociology
Online ISSN : 2185-8691
Print ISSN : 0919-2751
ISSN-L : 0919-2751
Original
The Bundesliga and German Civil Society:
The Function of Nonprofit Organizations as Part of the Common Sector
Futoshi KAMASAKI
Author information
JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2021 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 47-60

Details
Abstract
 In today’s world, contribution to matters of public interest is not the domain of central and local government bodies alone; for-profit companies and communal-level citizenry are looked to as well. In Germany, nonprofit organizations are part of the common sector, and a sense of civil public-mindedness is achieved by which local bodies, for-profit companies, and communal-level citizenry come together to address matters of public interest.
 This research focuses on the German nonprofit organizations known as Verein. Since the 1960s, when the number of sports clubs operated by these nonprofit organizations rapidly grew, Germany has seen the development of a great number of social movements and the formation of a counterculture. And in the 1980s, the Autonome, known for their occupying of empty residences, gave rise to a professional soccer club that was a symbol of the anti-commercial and anti-racist movements.
 Then in the late 1990s, when approval had been given for Bundesliga soccer clubs to become for-profit companies, the 50+1 Rule was established for the Bundesliga in order to protect nonprofit organizations. This created a system whereby the acquiring of fans by professional soccer clubs (for-profit companies) generated funds for comprehensive community sports clubs (nonprofit organizations) and, at the same time, enabled the addressing of various communal causes, primarily by the nonprofit organizations, in the civil society.
 This research seeks to elucidate the civil society as seen in the Bundesliga, and the function had by nonprofit organizations, which are the embodiment of civil public-mindedness.
Content from these authors
© 2021 Japan Journal of Sport Sociology
Previous article
feedback
Top