Red Bull Buys Leipzig Stadium

Red Bull GmbH with its soccer club RB Leipzig has agreed to the acquisition of Leipzig’s stadium with the former owner and the city of Leipzig, Germany.  

RB Leipzig – Red Bull Arena
in Leipzig, Germany

Red Bull has had the naming rights to the stadium since 2010, when it was renamed Red Bull Arena. Now it officially owns the venue. Red Bull and the stadium’s former owner Michael Kölmel had been in agreement on the sale since December last year, but lacked the approval of the city and its council.

Now that the city is on board the decision from the council, expected in October, seems a mere formality. When the sale was first announced, lvz.de reported an unofficial selling price of euro 70 million.

Up until that point, options for an entirely new stadium for RB Leipzig in the city’s north had been on the table.

Kölmel said it had been one of his greatest concerns while negotiating with Red Bull that the stadium stayed central. Leipzig’s mayor said the most important message sent to the people of Leipzig was that the stadium remained in the heart of the city.

Red Bull Arena’s capacity will be increased from some 42,000 to 57,000 by 2018, as most of RB Leipzig’s home fixtures were sold out and the average utilization was 40,000 in the 2016-2017 season.

The new operators plan to increase the number of VIP lounges, add seats in the areas behind the goals and bring the seats down closer to the pitch.

Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO of RB Leipzig, said Red Bull Arena would remain “an important venue for national and international musicians.”

Concerts will continue to take place on the fairgrounds in front of the stadium as well.