It was basically a lavish evening. Won 4-0, nine points from three games, TSV 1860 Munich celebrated its best start to the season in all classes in 15 years. The greatly improved squad of the third division football club is recommended for larger tasks. Fynn Lakenmacher, representative of the injured top scorer Marcel Bär, said after his brace against SV Meppen that he had “goosebumps” when he stood in front of the fan curve. In Martin Kobylanski, another access had already taken the 1-0 lead.
It was another memorable game against SVM, if not quite as memorable as it was in Meppen when the Sixties were promoted to the Bundesliga in 1994. Many lion fans are still asking each other: Were you there against Meppen?
Some supporters for the 2022 game will have to answer this question with no in the future. They had decided not to be there, they didn’t see how enthusiastically the team played in the second half, they didn’t cheer for Lakenmacher. The reason for this was an instruction that the security staff had to implement: supporters who were carrying items critical of investors, such as bags, stickers or fan magazines, were asked to hand them in. Some fans reported that they refused and then went home.
Despite all the controls, the flag with Ismaik’s crossed-out likeness somehow makes it back into the stadium
1860 investor Hasan Ismaik and his Munich deputy Anthony Power have been repeatedly criticized by the ultras in recent weeks. It is primarily about the trademark dispute between the Merchandising GmbH run by Power, which is owned by Ismaik, and the eV as well as the fan groups. The highlight so far was the first third division home game of the season last Saturday against Osnabrück (1-0). During the game, two flags with Ismaik’s likeness crossed out could be seen, Power was attacked on leaflets – and an investor-friendly blogger was given a very unfriendly banner.
1860 Managing Director Marc-Nicloai Pfeifer (left) and Investor Deputy Anthony Power.
(Photo: MIS/Imago)
On Monday, the management of the professional football KGaA, consisting of the managing directors Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer and Günther Gorenzel, publicly appealed to the fans to please concentrate on the sport, now that things are going so well. And at the same time she announced “a clear edge”. In view of this announcement, the wording that the club stands for “freedom of expression” caused irritation. And the events of Tuesday undoubtedly add a certain humor to the statement contained in the message “Sixty Munich excludes anyone”.
Despite all the controls, the flag with Ismaik’s crossed-out likeness somehow made it back into the stadium against Meppen. But freedom of expression ended on Tuesday evening with the jute bags with the anti-Ismaik logo, which are quite common among fans. Anyone who carried one with them had to decide whether to hand it in – it was then given a number like in the theater cloakroom and could be picked up again after the game – or just stay outside.
Neither Power nor Ultras are known to give up easily
On Wednesday, many fans were less concerned with analyzing the game than with the question of whether the existing stadium regulations even allow for such a ban. Some claim that a crossed-out likeness is covered by freedom of expression, also according to a court statement in the trial between Merchandising GmbH and the “Lion Fans Against Right”. However, there were also other free opinions in the stadium: the fact that the so-called sheikh song was sung in the west stand was acknowledged by many supporters in the main and opposite stands with whistles.
The investor-friendly blogger was also badly insulted in songs on Tuesday evening. A few days ago he posted a very large photo on his website, in which the holder of an anti-Ismaik flag was clearly visible. This dispute at 1860 is, at its core, as banal as any other: as long as insisting on one’s own rights is more important than respecting the rights of others, things will continue to escalate. And neither Power nor Ultras are known to give up easily.
Kindergarten, you might think. In contrast to a dispute there, however, the kindergarten teachers at Sixty seem overwhelmed by the immense force of both sides. On Wednesday, the presidium of the eV led by Robert Reisinger felt compelled to issue a statement in favor of anti-authoritarian education: “The idea that a sometimes ugly argument could be solved by a few bans for the fan scene is as seductive as it is wrong.” This creates a “spiral of action and reaction,” wrote the executive committee: “As shareholder representatives, we wish that this flag would no longer fly. That requires persuasion. Bans are the wrong way.” You can look forward to the next home game of TSV 1860 – also because promotion is also being targeted.