Hoffenheim backer Hopp ceding control of Bundesliga club

SINSHEIM, Germany (AP) — Hoffenheim’s billionaire backer is ceding control of his soccer club to bring it back in line with the German league’s 50-plus-1 rule limiting the influence of outside investors. Hoffenheim says 82-year-old Dietmar Hopp is waiving an exception to the rule that came into effect in 2015 and he will transfer the majority of his voting rights back to the club. He says his majority stake has “caused mistrust and hostilities.” The rule states that commercial investors cannot hold more than a 49% stake in a club. Hopp was granted an exception because he had backed the club as an investor continuously for more than 20 years.