Baumgärtner steps down due to health reasons

"TSG Hoffenheim are more than simply a club for me, it's a matter of the heart for me," said Baumgärtner, who has been a board member for 23 years. "That made the decision to vacate my position all the more difficult. Especially considering I received an overwhelming vote of confidence at the general meeting a few weeks ago. But this also gives me hope that my decision will be understood. In the past I have repeatedly suffered from health problems, which have recently intensified, so I now have to set out my priorities clearly," explained the 55-year-old.

"In recent decades, I have been able to experience and help shape TSG's rise at first hand. I'm very grateful for that and would like to thank everybody who makes this club so special, in particular Dietmar Hopp, who has made this unbelievable journey possible," said Baumgärtner, who will remain at TSG Hoffenheim in his role as the head of HOFFEXPRESS.

Addressing Baumgärtner's resignation, Dietmar Hopp said: "I'd like to thank Kristian for his decades of commitment and the journey we have taken together. He informed me personally of his decision, which I regret but of course respect."

"TSG now have around 60 fan clubs and almost 11,000 members. It has consistently brought me unbelievable joy to work on the Executive Board team and with the GmbH management," said Baumgärtner with pride as he reflected upon the developments that have taken place in recent years. "It goes without saying that I will remain closely associated with TSG. With the celebrations and activities to mark its 125th anniversary, the club has some outstanding weeks and months coming up."

Second Chairwoman Simone Engelhardt will manage the club's fortunes on an interim basis alongside Third Chairman Frank Engelhardt. Born in Hoffenheim, she has been a club member since 1972 and was once a successful gymnast at TSG. She was elected Second Chairwoman in 2022. "The most important thing is that Kristian returns to good health quickly. As Second Chairwoman, I have worked with him closely over the past two years. I will now continue this work in the best interests of the organisation in my role as Interim President. It is an honour for me to represent TSG in this position."

The SAP executive is only the fourth woman to lead a professional football club in Germany and the first in the Bundesliga. She was already involved in the management of TSG on a voluntary basis by the end of the 1980s and helped to set up the first professional administrative structures, for example in ticketing, sponsorship and event organisation. When TSG were promoted to the Regionalliga in 2001/02, she handed over her responsibilities to others due to time constraints. She was a TSG season ticket holder long before the club were promoted to Bundesliga 2 and has remained so to this day.

"I'm looking forward to continuing the good and successful collaboration with the Spielbetriebs GmbH management and laying the groundwork for a positive future in our 17th Bundesliga season and fourth European Cup campaign," said Simone Engelhardt, who is married, the mother of a 16-year-old son and lives in Sinsheim.