interview
Alex Schlüter is the new moderator at Sportschau. For the new Bundesliga season, the Göttingen native supports the moderator team, including in the new Friday program of the sports show at 11:10 p.m. Previously, Schlüter had moderated at “DAZN” and “Amazon Prime”. Nesrin Elnabolsy spoke to Alex Schlüter.
What is the meaning of the ARD sports show in your life, maybe even before the contract was signed?
Alex Schlüter: The ARD sports show has been something very special for many years, even before I even thought about tackling the whole thing as a profession. If I used to talk about sports, followed up things on the soccer field, then it was actually always based on the model of the ARD sports show. I don’t know if young people will say in football fields in Germany, “now I’m doing it like Alex Schlüter”. I don’t even know if I want that. But now I am exactly in the place where the people I was on the soccer field at the time.
There are definitely a few icons here that moderated and commented on the sports show. Is there someone who is immediately present to you?
Alex Schlüter: The voice that is most present to me is not a moderator, but a commentator and that is actually Gerd Rubenbauer. 1990, final against Argentina, there are sentences that I can still say. I just can’t say her as beautifully as he with this rolling R. “Goycochea, he knew everything, only he couldn’t hold it”. And Andi Brehme makes this decisive penalty. That burned down completely and that’s now … auweia, 35 years ago.
What would you say, what do you bring with you?
Alex Schlüter: Less the rolling r, but I hope a passion for what I can report about. This peculiarity that sport brings with it. This feeling that sport triggers in us. I think and hope that I can transport it. Hopefully there is a bit of something in my account that people notice that it is not just a job in which I say at the end of the month, but that’s a dream. It is a damn great luck to be able to call his job here.
What are you most looking forward to?
Alex Schlüter: I don’t dare to look too much into the distance yet. But when European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games come, that is ultimately the greatest thing that can happen to us in the job.
From August 22nd, the sports show will also be available on Fridays with an additional 45-minute edition. At 11:10 p.m. the sports show shows the summaries of the 1st and 2nd league. What exactly can the audience look forward to?
Alex Schlüter: We have with the Bundesliga game, and it starts rapidly, of course an absolute premium product. There is a slightly later broadcast time, maybe also a slightly different approach compared to the traditional Saturdays and Sundays at the sports show. In the end, however, we will stay true to ourselves. I think that’s exactly the mix with which I also want to approach the job.
Now we have only talked about work. What does an Alex Schlüter do after work?
Alex Schlüter: When I try to switch off, it is despite all this a lot of sport that I do myself. When I go out of the big sports show studio, interviewed Bundesliga players or coaches and have to be grounded properly again, I have been going to guitar lessons for just under a year. My teacher then makes it clear to me how unfarable I am on the guitar. That really grounds.
Do you have a favorite song that you want to play at some point?
Alex Schlüter: I have screwed all my expectations and goals back in the past few weeks (laughs). If my guitar teacher lifts my fingers crossed, then I can present something to you.
Maybe again to get out of a show, a guitar solo?
Alex Schlüter: (laughs) give me time until matchday 34, then we can talk again.
Let’s rely on it. Good luck and have fun!
Alex Schlüter: Thank you. I am happy.