Double trial

Pressing in court: LASK against stadium construction company!

The Raiffeisen-Arena of the LASK.

(Bild: TEAM FOTOKERSCHI.AT / KERSCHBAUM)

Pressing and counter-pressing were reminiscent of soccer, but not with judge Gundula Nathschläger as the "referee": On Thursday, LASK began (another) trial against Haslinger Stahlbau - a large company involved in the construction of the stadium - at the Linz Regional Court.

"Despite all the adversity, we managed to make the kick-off of the opening match in February 2023 possible." With these words, Haslinger-Stahlbau Managing Director Arno Sorger was quoted in the spring of the same year in a special supplement of a daily newspaper dedicated to steel construction. Other statements under the title "Raiffeisen Arena in Linz" were also published in the trade magazines "SOLID" and "Stahlbau aktuell".

According to LASK, Sorger is said to have breached a contractually agreed confidentiality clause. In total in up to three publications, for which LASK is reportedly demanding 50,000 euros per violation.

The contracts provide for total confidentiality.

LASK-Anwalt Johannes Lehner

"The contracts provide for total confidentiality. They also exist for smaller contracts and have the purpose that - if there are differences of opinion - they are discussed among themselves and the issue is not aired publicly in newspapers," says LASK lawyer Johannes Lehner. He also emphasizes that "the contracts were drawn up by a very renowned Viennese law firm", but that the Haslinger company subsequently did not adhere to them and approached the media unilaterally. Lehner: "That is the reason why we are asserting the claims."

Surprise in court
The big surprise in court, however, was something else: namely that both parties repeatedly hinted at a further legal dispute - and also that the two cases could not and should not be made into one. Even if they are clearly connected, although the other case - according to the completely contradictory statements of the opposing parties - is supposed to be about unpaid million-euro invoices or, conversely, about gross construction defects.

"If you look at the chronological sequence, it seems that nobody at LASK was bothered by the articles published in April and May 2023 and now objected to until invoices were claimed," says Theresia Franziska Weiser from Wiener Rechtsanwälte GmbH Wolf Theiss, which represents Haslinger Stahlbau.

So only one thing is certain: the LASK - Haslinger Stahlbau "match" will keep the courts busy for some time to come. Next time on April 25!