Putting footballing rivalries aside for the benefit of the greater good isn't something that happens too often, but if it's happened anywhere, it's not surprising that it would be in the Bundesliga. Praised as "a model of financial virtue and good governance," the league has rejected gluttonous spending in favor of actually turning a profit. And, as it turns out, even when Bundesliga clubs do fall on hard times, their direct competitors step in to help out.
From the AP:
Borussia Dortmund's president has confirmed his side received a €2 million ($2.6 million) loan from Bundesliga rival Bayern Munich to help stave off bankruptcy.
Bayern president Uli Hoeness revealed details of the 2003 loan at a fans' meet in Hamburg over the weekend. [...]
Dortmund flirted with bankruptcy in the seasons after its 2002 Bundesliga success, only pulling back from the brink in early 2005.
Defending champion Dortmund leads the Bundesliga by two points from Bayern.
And now Bayern can enjoy the thought that even if strengthening Dortmund wasn't the best thing for their own trophy cabinet, it was the best thing for the league. They can also wonder if charging a slightly higher interest rate on that loan would have them in first place right now.