Football coach and advertising icon Jürgen Klopp (54) is not an artist in the legal sense, despite all his successes.
That was decided by the Darmstadt Social Court in the dispute between the Deutsche Rentenversicherung and Klopp advertising partner Opel.
The insurance company had asked the carmaker to pay back contributions to the artist's social security fund in the six-figure range for the period from 2011 to 2015 because the then Dortmund coach Klopp had appeared as an artist in the commercials.
Darmstadt / Rüsselsheim - In the judgment published on Wednesday, the court decided that prominent coaches and professional athletes must be classified according to their main occupation.
The activity as a testimonial (brand ambassador) should not be regarded as art.
The decision is not yet final.
dpa
