Mateschitz successor: Are FC Red Bull Salzburg, Servus TV & Co going into an uncertain future? – Bundesliga
For days, weeks, the media and the public have been puzzling over the health of Red Bull founders Dietrich (“Didi”) Mateschitz. What’s up with the speculation – Ligaportal reported. How far has the 78-year-old prepared his son Mark for a possible successor? According to a “Focus” report, however, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to take over the office. Since then, Red Bull partners such as RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig and the Formula 1 team as well as Red Bull subsidiaries such as ServusTV have faced an uncertain future. All also of interest to fans of football, ice hockey and extreme sports.
Marketing empire Red Bull
A successor could bring serious changes not only to the Austrian sports and media landscape, but worldwide, because Red Bull is primarily an advertising company.
Billionaire Mateschitz has created a marketing empire: Servus TV, all extreme sports events as well as teams in football, ice hockey and racing – from the Austrian series champion FC Red Bull Salzburg (9 championship titles in a row, a total of 13 in the Red Bull era, plus 9x ÖFB -Cup winners), RB Leipzig to wingsuit athletes. Lots of investments! Everywhere the worldwide energy drink is advertised in videos etc.
If a possible Mateschitz’ successor were to massively cut some advertising activities or even reconstitute Red Bull, this could mean an “expiry date” for RB Leipzig, the Red Bull Formula 1 team or Servus TV in their current form.
Will Mateschitz’ son Mark succeed him?
“Focus online” makes it clear: “Because Mateschitz’ successors could use the Austrian advertising billions differently, everyone who depends on them faces an uncertain future.”
According to consistent media reports, Didi Mateschitz’s son – Mark – is the likely successor. As the business magazine knows, however, it is unknown how Mark thinks about his father’s involvement in sports and television. Both father and son have been very reserved in public and protected their private lives like England protects its crown jewels.
According to “Focus”, Didi Mateschitz prepared his son for the successor. Mark Mateschitz built Thalheimer beer, brewed from healing water, into a popular hip brand and is head of Mark-Mateschitz-Beteiligungs-GmbH, which holds shares in the Red Bull real estate empire. Since the beginning of the year, the almost 30-year-old has also been a member of the board of the non-profit foundation Wings for Life, which promotes research into healing paraplegic patients.
51% majority stake held by Thai family Yoovidhya
But can Mateschitz-Junior ever become a new Red Bull boss? Because even if his father prepares him for the successor, the decision about the personnel is not up to him: Father Mateschütz owns 49% of the Red Bull shares. Another 49% is owned by a company owned by the Thai family Yoovidhya, from whom Mateschitz bought the international marketing rights for the energy drink Krating Daeng (“Red Bull”) in 1984. This provides the Red Bull template. Chalerm Yoovidhya holds the remaining 2% alone.
Ergo, 51% – and thus the majority – of the company belongs to the Yoovidhyas, who have a say in the Mateschitz successor. According to a report by “Manager Magazin”, the Yoovidhya family even has to agree to the transfer of Mateschitz’ company shares to his one son in accordance with the Red Bull articles of association. How the Yoovidhyas think about the issue of succession is the exciting question! According to media reports, they definitely want to curtail the power of the Red Bull boss after Didi Mateschitz.
Red Bull has yet to comment on the future of the empire.
Photo credit: SID