Czech Railway Manager Earns Extra Income with Football Club
- A high-ranking manager of Czech Railways, Jan Staněk, currently holds multiple positions.
- he claims that his main employer is not suffering as a result.
- He is unable to estimate how much time he spends with the Ostrava club, where he has been a member of management as a growth manager for football...
A high-ranking manager of Czech Railways, Jan Staněk, currently holds multiple positions. Along with his work at the state-owned company, where he took over the duties of deputy director at the beginning of the year, he also manages a side contract with the first-league football club Baník ostrava. He recently also co-founded a law firm.
he claims that his main employer is not suffering as a result. ”I do it in my free time,” he said when Seznam Zprávy asked him about his work outside of Czech Railways.
He is unable to estimate how much time he spends with the Ostrava club, where he has been a member of management as a growth manager for football and legal activities since last July. “I can’t say, it’s a hobby. People who do philately probably won’t tell you how long they do it in the evenings,” replied the trained lawyer,who in the past also worked as a football official at Dukla Prague and FC Vysočina Jihlava.
He is now reportedly involved in development projects at baník. “From his position, he will be involved in and contribute to the area of sports development of the club, transfers and contractual matters, resolving legal issues related to registrations, transfers, licenses or ensuring compliance with the regulations of the FAČR, UEFA and other organizations,” reads the official club report.
in recent months,Staněk has also been concurrently developing other private activities. It’s not just football. Since 2024, he has been a half-owner of the Hradec Králové-based company NHK stav, which has construction, modification, and demolition listed as its business activities. Last August, he and two friends founded the law firm Fairzone, which aims to focus on law in the field of sports. He also claims that he will only devote time to the office marginally outside of his regular working hours at Czech Railways.
“Although my role will initially be advisory and I will essentially contribute a little in my free time, I really wanted to be involved in the creation of this project and I look forward to how it will develop,” Staněk said on the professional social network LinkedIn after founding the office.
ČD Management: Activities do not limit performance
Seznam Zprávy asked Czech Railways CEO Michal krapinec about Jan Staněk’s work. Whether it is humanly possible to reconcile all these activities so that the state-owned company does not suffer. krapinec read the sent inquiry but did not respond to it.
Though, company spokesman Petr Šťáhlavský spoke out, seeing no conflict of interest in the Railways’ senior manager.”Mr. Staněk dedicates his private activities exclusively to his free time and in accordance with the internal rules of Czech Railways. These activities do not limit his performance at Czech Railways.
Czech Railways is expanding its train service to include direct routes to several major European football stadiums, hoping to capitalize on the upcoming UEFA European Championship in 2028. The state-owned railway operator announced the new initiative on Friday, aiming to provide convenient and affordable travel options for fans attending matches in Germany, italy, and Spain.
The service will initially focus on key cities hosting tournament games, with connections planned from Prague, Brno, and Ostrava. Czech Railways plans to offer special travel packages that combine train tickets with match tickets and accommodation. Details on pricing and specific routes are expected to be released next month.
“We see a important opportunity to connect Czech football fans with the excitement of the European Championship,” said Jan Staněk, a manager at Czech Railways and an avid football enthusiast. “This isn’t just about transportation; it’s about enhancing the overall fan experience.”
This move follows a trend of European railway companies increasing services to major sporting events.Germany’s Deutsche Bahn, for example, is already preparing for a surge in passenger traffic during the tournament. Czech Railways believes its offering will be particularly attractive to fans seeking a more sustainable and comfortable travel choice to flying.
The company is also exploring partnerships with travel agencies and football fan clubs to promote the new service. Further expansion of the routes is planned based on demand and the success of the initial phase.
