Bundesliga
Heidel on fan protests in the Bundesliga: “A test of strength”
Fan protests repeatedly cause game interruptions in the Bundesliga. photo
© Swen Pförtner/dpa
Always tennis balls, always interruptions: the organized fans are increasingly causing annoyance at the football clubs with their actions.
There is growing dissatisfaction among managers, coaches and players about the game interruptions in the Bundesliga caused by ongoing fan protests. “I think it’s a bit of a test of strength, which I really regret,” said the sports director Christian Heidel from Bundesliga club FSV Mainz 05: “We are now destroying football by doing this.”
Among other things, Mainz’s game against FC Augsburg (1-0) was interrupted several times because of the actions in the stands. “At some point we all have to turn our heads, talk to each other and explain it,” demanded Heidel, who has not yet heard from critics a better solution for greater marketing opportunities than the controversial entry of an investor into the German Football League.
Rosen: Maximum escalation level not yet reached
The DFL wants to collect one billion euros from a financial investor for a percentage share of the TV revenue. When the 36 professional clubs voted on the deal, the necessary two-thirds majority was only barely achieved. Many fans have been protesting in the stadiums for weeks, mainly by throwing objects against entry, and games are repeatedly interrupted.
If Mainz, as a Bundesliga club, has to give up seven or eight million euros of TV money next summer in order to realize internal financing, Heidel explained, “then I can already guarantee that it won’t just be tight here, it will be extremely tight. “
Managing director Alexander Rosen from TSG Hoffenheim fears that the greatest level of escalation has not yet been reached: “But perhaps at some point it has to be over for something to change.” Hoffenheim’s game against Union Berlin (0-1) was “really on the verge of being canceled this time”.
Desire for solutions
Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt found the unusually short protest during the promoted team’s game against league leaders Bayer Leverkusen (1:2) to be appropriate: “In the end it was a protest that was well received. Short and sweet, that’s how it has to be.”
CEO Alexander Wehrle from VfB Stuttgart wants solutions “so that we can play football properly again – without tennis balls, they belong on the tennis court,” he said at the Ball des Sports in Frankfurt.
Borussia Dortmund’s sports director Sebastian Kehl had previously made similar statements. The ex-professional said things couldn’t go on like this: “It’s not fun for many spectators in the stadium, nor for the players – and the game suffers as a result.” BVB captain Emre Can confirmed this: “We are suffering extremely from it and are losing our rhythm. That’s why I hope it will end soon.”