Karel Aalbers

Karel Aalbers (born in Velp, June 28, 1949) was President of soccer club Vitesse (Arnhem, the Netherlands) from 1984 until February 2000. The aim of Aalbers was to bring Vitesse from the bottom of the Second League (Eerste divisie, now Jupiler League), where the club was when he started, to the top 40 of Europe.

His development strategy was built on three starting points: A. A multifunctional accommodation with ‘international appeal‘. To make visiting the matches more attractive, and to be used for more than just soccer. (Attracts more paying visitors) B. A new sponsor strategy for a better financial basis. C. A solid strategy on the transfer market.

A. He took the initiative to developed the basic ideas for the ‘Gelredome’, a stadium with a sliding pitch that can be moved out of the building. A unique concept and a world-wide introduction of this system. Later the same system was copied in Schalke-Arena-Gelsenkirchen Germany and Japan. Events such as pop concerts can be held without damaging the grass. Gelredome opened in 1998. It has a roof that can be opened and closed and it is fully climate controlled. In the first season after the opening, attendance rose to 26.000, (from less than 8.000 in the old stadium.)And the first big events took place during that summer, visited by ten thousands.

B. Aalbers financed the growth by securing sponsoring money in a long term contract from energy supplier Nuon and a clear agreement with the city of Arnhem.

C. He financed the sportive division by making solid profits on the transfer market. Players such as Roy Makaay, Sander Westerveld, Nikos Machlas, Glenn Helder and Philip Cocu were sold for large sums of money. Others came to fill in the blanks, such as Mahamadou Diarra and Pierre van Hooijdonk.

Result: Vitesse ranked top 4 positions, made profit and showed a solid balance sheet in the final years of his presidency.

Aalbers resigned on February 15, 2000, after main sponsor Nuon threatened to pull the plug if he did not. Nuon, as a public utility (Energy) company, owned by local authorities, had trouble explaining why it invested heavily in Aalbers' ambitious plans.

His successor was Jan Koning, former chief of Sara Lee/DE who resigned after 4 month. In a short period of time, Vitesse began to show negative financial results, apparently due to poor deals on the transfer market. The club survived numerous financial crises, the last one in 2008, when debts were bought of, under the threat of bankruptcy.

Mr. Aalbers is currently marketing expert and consultant in city- and stadium development. He acts as matchmaker in international projects. He and his wife live in Eerbeek. Karel Aalbers is father of two suns, Maurice, Raymond and one grandson Max Julian.