NEW LEAGUE, NEW REALITY FOR BERLIN THUNDER
With speculation continuing to swirl over the likely make up of continental semi-pro football in Europe this summer, one of the longest-standing names in the game has moved to show that it is still alive.
Many outsiders believed that the Berlin Thunder were about to be read the last rites at the end of the 2025 European League of Football campaign, having limped out of the season with a losing record and question marks hanging over its ongoing financial viability. Successive announcements that the club was, first, aligning with, and accepted by, the breakaway European Football Alliance (EFA), and then that it was siding with the newly-formed American Football League Europe (AFLE) as the EFA itself split, were both met with a degree of scepticism.
Even as the AFLE moved slickly through pre-Christmas confirmation of its members and subsequent reveals of its structure and financial plans, doubt remained over the health of the Thunder — a concern that has now been address via a long missive from the men in charge of the capital’s club.
“Dear Thunder Family,
“We would have loved to start this year with a magical reset button on January 1st, but we’ve learned the hard way that it doesn’t work like that. You get your hopes up, you believe in a fresh start, and then reality throws another curveball.
“After a wave of bad press, a collapsing league and months of survival mode, we were relieved that our first statement of the year could finally be about our new head coach — only to follow it a week later with another post saying that he had to return to the US for family reasons. And, for many of you, that was the only update you received from us. We owe you more than that.
“Fighting for survival.
“The past year has been the hardest in the history of Berlin Thunder. We lost too many games on the field and went through insolvency in the middle of the season. While other teams postponed their problems until after the season (even the winning ones), we took the hardest possible road and went into restructuring while still competing. We did it knowing it would hurt our reputation, our morale and our public image. But it was the only way to survive.
“Many of you asked why we weren’t more transparent. The truth is: we wanted to, but insolvency and restructuring are not moments where you can speak freely, even if your instinct is to be open. There are legal restrictions, contractual obligations and responsibilities towards creditors, players and employees that we took very seriously. We had to protect that process in order to protect the future of Berlin Thunder.
“As a consequence, we lost trust and we lost people. Some disappeared quietly. Others moved on to safer projects or bigger stages. We understand that. But what matters more are those who stayed. The owners who stepped in. The staff who kept working and, most importantly, the players who kept training and the fans who kept hoping.
“And now we‘re marching into the new season bruised, but alive.
“A new league – a new reality.
“We left the ELF because it was built on hype and fast expansion, rather than strong governance and healthy foundations — and when things got hectic, too many teams were left standing on thin ice.
“We joined the new league AFLE not because we believe it will solve all our problems, but because it offers a more serious framework to build within. We are grateful that there is now capital, structure and a clear commitment to keep the league running. We hope this will create better conditions for all of us.
“One thing is clear though: no-one in the US is going to come and save European football for us. No-one is writing a blank check and saying: “Good luck, see you in ten years”. If we want a real football culture in Europe, if we want real franchises, real Sunday rituals, then we have to build them ourselves.
“Every great sports institution went through chaos before it became iconic. The NBA almost collapsed in the 1970s, finals were shown on tape delay because nobody watched, teams folded, owners lost money, players went bankrupt. The Premier League was born out of crisis in the early ‘90s, with empty stadiums, broken clubs and a league that was close to disappearing. The UFC was once banned in most US states and called ‘human cockfighting’ before it became a global media empire.
“You don’t build something that lasts without getting your hands dirty.
“Rebuilding family.
“This season is not about pretending everything is perfect. We are not swimming in money. We are not flying charter jets across Europe. We are not handing out fantasy contracts. We are fighting for something that holds: structure, culture, discipline and loyalty. And, for the first time, we are not pretending to be a family. We are building one.
“The coming weeks will be intense: We are finalising our coaching staff, working on key player signings, securing our stadium situation and raising more capital. Leadership is focused on creating the structures that allow our athletes to perform at their best with as little distraction as possible.
“At the same time, we will start communicating more openly. Not as cosmetic PR, but because you are part of this journey and you deserve to be involved.
“So to everyone around this franchise — the ones who stayed, the ones we lost, and the ones who will come join us — let‘s rebuild Berlin Thunder together.
“Yes, it will be hard. But it will also be meaningful. And it will be ours.
“Thank you!
Rasheed (GM) & Philip (COO)