Major sponsor threatens to step down: Fateful meeting at 12 o’clock

Johnny Wojciech Kokborg

There is chaos in the traditional club AaB. 

Relegation from the Superliga, war between fans and the German owners, layoffs in a row – and now the major sponsor 3F is threatening to step down. 

It is especially in the wake of Tipsbladet’s story that former coach Menno van Dam bullied a colleague that the union is reacting. 

This happens in a sensational press release, in which the 3F management threatens to leave when the contract with AaB expires in 2027. Or maybe even before time. 

The AaB fans want the Germans out of Aalborg.  Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix Show more The AaB fans want the Germans out of Aalborg. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Chairman of 3F Aalborg, Benny V. Jensen, tells B.T. that the 3F management will meet on Wednesday at 12 noon for a fateful meeting regarding the further involvement in AaB. 

»We consider it a serious situation. We recognize that we have a contract for another two years with AaB, and we are living up to all agreements. We are not running away from anything we have entered into. But we have to look at it critically. And that is why we need to have a talk,« he says. 

There was already concern about the sporting detour, but you cannot turn a blind eye to a poor working environment. 

»We are a trade union. That is what we are fighting for. We think that AaB has behaved professionally over the years, and that is also why we have been involved for so long. But when it starts to go wrong, as it is now, we will not be part of it if people cannot behave properly,” he says, pointing fingers in the direction of the German owners:

“We also agree with the fans that the current ownership is eroding the commitment and culture that has existed for a number of years – and that we have been proud and happy about. It is going wrong now,” says Jensen.

3F and AaB had a meeting on Monday, where a number of written criticisms were made. This was even before Tipsbladet’s story about the working environment came to light. Benny V. Jensen expects the points to be a topic at Wednesday’s board meeting in AaB.

But he also acknowledges that it may be difficult to break the sponsorship agreement prematurely.

“I think that the contract is designed in such a way that we cannot just get out of it. And if that happens, we will of course comply with the agreement. But that is why we can send a critical voice.”

There is chaos in the traditional club AaB.

Relegation from the Superliga, war between fans and the German owners, a string of layoffs – and now major sponsor 3F is threatening to step down.

It is especially in the wake of Tipsbladet’s story that former coach Menno van Dam bullied a colleague that the union is reacting.

This happens in a sensational press release, where the 3F management threatens to leave when the contract with AaB expires in 2027. Or maybe even before time.

Chairman of 3F Aalborg, Benny V. Jensen, tells B.T. that the 3F management will meet on Wednesday at 12 noon for a fateful meeting regarding the further involvement in AaB.

“We consider it a serious situation. We recognize that we have a contract for another two years with AaB, and we are living up to all agreements. We are not running away from anything we have entered into. But we have to look at it critically. And that is why we need to have a talk,” he says.

There was already concern about the sporting deroute, but you can’t turn a blind eye to a poor working environment.

“We are a trade union. That’s what we’re fighting for. We think that AaB has behaved professionally over the years, and that’s why we’ve been involved for so long. But when things start to escalate like they are now, we won’t be involved if people can’t behave properly,” he says, pointing his fingers in the direction of the German owners:

“We also agree with the fans that the current ownership is eroding the commitment and culture that has existed for a number of years – and which we have been proud and happy about. It is going wrong now,” says Jensen.

3F and AaB had a meeting on Monday, where they presented a number of written criticisms. This was even before Tipsbladet’s story about the working environment came out. Benny V. Jensen expects the points to be a topic at Wednesday’s board meeting in AaB.

But he also acknowledges that it may be difficult to break the sponsorship agreement prematurely.

“I think the contract is designed in such a way that we can’t just get out of it. And if that’s the case, we will of course comply with the agreement. But that’s why we can send a critical voice.”