By Alexander Krassimirov
June 25 – Humiliated by their forced relegation to Bulgaria’s amateur leagues, the country’s tax collectors have heaped further misery on the team by announcing an auction of the club’s brand assets – it’s name, logo and trademarks.
Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency is not going away when it comes to CSKA Sofia and wants to get its hands on at least some of the money it is due. The football club owes the tax collector BGN11 million (€5,5 million), a debt that has been built up over a number of years.
The starting price for the CSKA brand auction is BGN 3,680,360 (€1,840,180).
Anyone wishing to participate must make a deposit of 20% of the opening bid price – BGN736,072 (€368,036) – by July 1. The auction will be held on July 3 and will be by secret bidding.
CSKA failed to get a license for the new season because of the colossal debts which exceed BGN23 million (€11.5 million).
A few days ago Bulgaria’s richest man and a former owner of CSKA, Vasil Bozhkov, said he will take over the management of the club, which will start the season in the amateur leagues.
To do this he has had to register a new company. Bozhkov may decide to enter the auction to buy the name and emblem of the authentic CSKA as he rebuilds the club. It would be a cheaper route to retaining the trademarks than having settled all CSKA’s debts with the tax collector and other creditors.
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