Volkswagen Forced To Reconsider Sports Involvements After Scandal, Expert Says

Volkswagen will be forced to reconsider its sports sponsorships following the company's cheating scandal, according to a sports management professor. The German car manufacturer has been embroiled in a wide-ranging scandal since it publicly admitted to cheating on U.S. vehicle emissions tests of its diesel-powered cars.

More than 11 million cars of the Volkswagen Group could be effected worldwide. The scandal has already led to the resignation of CEO Martin Winterkorn and tarnished the company’s public image.

Christoph Breuer, a professor of sports economics and sports management at the German Sport University in Cologne, believes that the scandal will also soon impact the company's bottom line. As a consequence, Volkswagen will be forced to implement efficiency policies, which are likely to impact the company's sports involvements.

"More and more sponsorships will be questioned about their return on investment," Breuer said. "I think many sports sponsorships will be reconsidered." HJ Mai/Sportsbusinessdaily.com