By Carsten Priefer and Paul Gorgas
It was love at first sight. But after 26 years with a season ticket it should be over! Hertha fan Christian Kersten (50) even wanted to hand in his resignation as a Hertha member on Tuesday morning at 10:41 a.m.
Reason: The card chaos before the relegation on Thursday (8.30 p.m., Live Sat.1 and Sky) against HSV. The family man from Dallgow near Berlin on BZ: “I’ve cheered, suffered, celebrated and also cried with Hertha over the years. But I’ve never been so annoyed with the club as I am now. The cup is full, it’s over.”
What destroyed Kersten’s blue and white love?
On Saturday, Hertha informed its approximately 40,000 members and season ticket holders by email: “From now on, all club members and all fans with season tickets can buy tickets for the first of the two decisive duels!”
Some bought a relegation ticket – their season ticket is valid for them. But only with a code sent by email. Others passed on the code, thinking friends could use it to get a free ticket.
With Kersten it was like this: “There was not the usual seat commitment for season ticket holders. At 10:11 p.m. on Saturday I received the email that I didn’t have to pay anything with a code. When I finally had time to sit down at the computer around 5 p.m. on Sunday, the entire corner was practically sold out. My seat was gone. I may have the free code, but right now I could just sit somewhere under the roof.”
Many curve fans should feel the same way as him. Sitting somewhere else in the stadium – Kersten doesn’t want that.
What makes the chaos complete: The free sale started on Monday at 12 noon. Many Hertha fans felt taken by surprise and had apparently not clearly understood that they had the right of first refusal since Saturday.
What followed was a kind of gold rush for HSV fans, who are now hoping that up to 30,000 Hamburgers could almost wipe out Hertha’s home field advantage.
Hertha BSC
However, around 50,000 tickets are said to have been sold before the start of free sales. And HSV fan clothing is not permitted on the seats outside the guest block. Nevertheless, the alarm sounds! A flood of complaints reached Hertha.
Kersten: “Hertha has heart in the east curve, we all support the club with full conviction. But in the most important game of the season, our seats are taken because the communication between fans and ticketing didn’t work.”
Kersten sought the conversation at the office on Tuesday. He presented his problem at reception and asked to speak to someone in charge. he came Kersten: “I expressed all my anger. The person responsible understood that, agreed with me, apologized for the card errors and confirmed that a lot went wrong.
Kersten has been a member since 2006. He submits his written resignation to the employee. After 45 minutes of conversation, he takes her back with him – at least for the time being. His Hertha love has suffered a huge crack. Nevertheless, he gives the club one last chance.
Kersten: “They want to get in touch with me soon because they don’t want to lose any members.”
Despite everything, Kersten Hertha is keeping his fingers crossed for the relegation. But for the first time in 26 years not from his regular place in the east curve!