Wee founder Cengiz Ehliz on late payments, cash and a quick temper
Bad Tölz - Temporary imbalance at the main sponsor, or the beginning of all Tölz DEL2 dreams?
Since the reports of late payment on the part of the Löwen main sponsor Wee and the abrupt end of the activity of managing director Christian Donbeck, the rumor mill in the ice hockey landscape has been simmering at full speed.
The ideal contact person to clarify the matter is Cengiz Ehliz, founder of weeCONOMY AG.
In an interview with our newspaper, the 50-year-old entrepreneur reveals how deeply the tablecloth between sponsor and Donbeck was torn, that nothing stands in the way of a continuation of the partnership with the Lions and intensive communication is the alpha and omega of cooperation.
Mr. Ehliz, you normally get up close and personal with the excitement from the box.
How do you rate the achievements of the lions from a distance?
Cool!
With such a small squad the performance is phenomenal.
What the guys are delivering at the moment really motivates me.
To keep such a team going, you need a lot of change.
According to the latest news, your company is not entirely unconcerned about the fact that the TEG cannot raise its budget to the extent necessary.
That's true.
After all, we are also facing a global economic crisis.
About 90 percent of all companies complain about a decline in sales.
Some time ago I approached Mr Donbeck and Mrs Breiter about this and communicated this accordingly.
Nevertheless, the funds are still pending, which causes irritation in the club and its environment.
I was told that Tölz could make it through April thanks to state aid.
It was also confirmed that all salaries have been paid.
It would be different if there was an acute fire.
Does that mean that liquid funds will flow in the foreseeable future?
We expect a seven-digit sum from a sister company with whom we have made a declaration of assignment in favor of TEG.
In addition, there is a letter of comfort from the parent company that the sum will be made available immediately upon receipt.
But precisely such securities were publicly requested by Mr. Donbeck.
Mr. Donbeck is a guy who likes to flare up and exaggerate.
As for me: There have been phases in the past where six-figure amounts from earlier times have popped up.
We paid for them without hesitation.
In total now over three million euros in sponsorship money.
Now that things are tight for us, a drama is about to be made.
That's not how partnerships work.
I have put a lot of heart and soul into Tölzer ice hockey.
Wee could have joined larger clubs.
In your opinion, has Christian Donbeck somehow got lost?
That is certainly not the reason for his departure now.
There must be other reasons that I don't know.
However, there was an incident a few days ago where I broke off contact on the phone.
But that has nothing to do with the matter here.
And I don't like doing dirty laundry either.
But somehow he's turned 180 degrees lately.
Nevertheless, it is widely assumed that Donbeck's path through the public and the press was not exactly beneficial.
I stand 100 percent for Tölzer ice hockey.
And actually everything is regulated by contract.
But I won't let the fans turn me against me.
We have a liquidity bottleneck and have already reduced a lot of costs.
We wait for the money every day, after which it goes straight to the TEG.
And then the sponsorship continues.
All we need is a little patience.
We lack sales and transactions in the stadium, there is nothing we can present to our investors.
It annoys me when there is a lack of accommodation.
All in all, that sounds more like communication problems.
Is it possible that the lack of physical presence for almost a year is having a negative effect?
It may well be that something personal is missing.
But I would like to emphasize that there are no problems with the advisory board, the board of directors or Ms. Breiter.
Are you struggling to make a clear commitment to the Tölzer Löwen?
The future is not just up to me.
If someone comes back (new managing director, d. Ed.) Who stabs the knife in your backside, you automatically get tired of it at some point.
In principle, nothing changes in Wee's commitment?
No.
Corona takes a little boost in terms of promotion.
But the goals are still there, even if it takes a little longer.
We have immense projects just around the corner.
Despite Corona, it doesn't look so bad.
But sometimes there are tough times in entrepreneurship.
Difficult times await you in Belgium, too, where you will have to refute a whole series of allegations in the second instance.
I was blown away by last year's verdict.
Everything went wrong that can go wrong.
We have now straightened out everything, refuted all points.
I'm in Antwerp at the end of February and I'm optimistic that I can refute everything.
And in order to be able to support their dearest child, the Tölzer Löwen, in the coming season with a sponsorship similar to the previous one.
(laughs) If the 200th South American mutation doesn't paralyze all economic life - then yes!