Danger of bankruptcy for HB Ludwigsburg: The future of handball is shaky!

Danger of bankruptcy for HB Ludwigsburg: The future of handball is shaky!

In a dramatic step, the handball Bundesliga team HB Ludwigsburg filed an application to open insolvency proceedings with the local court on July 22, 2025. The club's economic situation is tense and has been significantly exacerbated by the failure of sponsorship negotiations. Managing director Sebastian Götz emphasizes that there have been repeated sudden cancellations in promising negotiations in recent weeks, which has severely affected the club's financial basis. Mercury reports that the players' contracts can no longer be maintained due to this development.

The district court appointed Holger Leichtle from the Görg law firm as provisional insolvency administrator. The new insolvency administrator is optimistic about the preparation for the season, even if the club's sporting future remains uncertain. As early as August 4th, it was determined that the economic basis was still missing. In the next few weeks, Leichtle will examine restructuring options together with the management, but so far there has been no solution to finance the coming season. Discussions with potential supporters have so far been unsuccessful, and the board has emphasized that it has fought hard for support.

The sporting history and challenges

HB Ludwigsburg, which was founded in 2015 as the successor to HBR Ludwigsburg, has an impressive success story. With six German championship titles and winning the EHF European League in 2022, the club shows that it has been doing well in the past. The entry into the Champions League final in 2024 also stands out as a great success. The games take place in the MHPArena Ludwigsburg, where fans and players always hope for a great atmosphere.

But despite these successes, a smaller framework is now being sought. The club's board sees the need to concentrate on reduced financial resources in order to possibly continue sporting activities on a small scale. The HB Ludwigsburg website points out that gaming operations will initially continue unchanged while the club is doing everything it can to overcome the financial challenges.

Risks of insolvency for players and clubs

The consequences of bankruptcy not only affect the club itself, but also the players. The labor law aspects are quite complex: Loud Kicker In the event of bankruptcy, the players' employment relationships remain intact, but there is a risk of loss of wages, which can often be particularly significant for high-earning athletes. Salary claims that arise before and after the declaration of insolvency are regulated differently. Players can receive bankruptcy money, but this is often not enough. Insolvency also makes it easier to terminate contracts, which gives many players the opportunity to change their club for free.

In these uncertain times, discussions with creditors, sponsors and associations are of utmost importance in order to develop prospects for the club's continued existence. The next few months will be crucial to clarify whether HB Ludwigsburg can find a way out of the financial crisis or whether the situation will continue to escalate. It remains to be seen what solutions the provisional insolvency administrator can present together with the management and whether the club will manage to preserve its sporting identity.