The DFB-Elf set quota records at the European Championship. In the Sportschau interview, they explain what the Bundesliga clubs are already noticing and how they can benefit from it.
“There must be something left of it”said national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg with regard to the euphoria about the European Football Championship, but especially about the vice European champions from Germany. “I hope that we can actually create a sense of euphoria with the start of the Bundesliga.”, Joti Chatzialexiou, sporting director at the DFB, looked ahead a few weeks. The topic of “sustainability” is omnipresent, especially in German women’s football.
Opening bang with Gwinn and Co.
If you want lasting change, you have to change your everyday life and habits. That applies to a diet, that applies to climate protection and, in this very specific case, that also applies to women’s football in Germany. And at its spearhead is, in everyday life, the Bundesliga. It starts in mid-September – among other things with the cracker between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in the Frankfurt stadium, which offers space for over 50,000 fans.
It is possible that the euphoria will carry you there and reach a high number of viewers. That’s what Chatzialexiou hopes. After all, for new and old fans it is the first real reunion with the EM stars Giulia Gwinn, Lina Magull or Frankfurt’s Nicole Anyomi. Viewership on the threshold of five figures would be a huge success. Last season, the Frankfurters were the frontrunners in the league’s attendance rankings – with around 1,580 fans per game and thus a total of almost 18,000 over the entire season.
Moving to large stadiums can be a means
But, even if it happens this way: This opening game is a single event, not an everyday occurrence. First of all not sustainable. But the eventing, an exciting supporting program and a partial move to large stadiums could be a way to keep the euphoric sparks glowing and igniting further, not only the sporting director of the DFB believe that, but also the clubs themselves. “We also play against SC Freiburg in the big stadium at the end of November“Said Marcel Kuhnt, press spokesman for women from SV Werder Bremen to the sports show. That’s it “a good chance for Werder”, especially with a Bremen victory – because sporting success is always one of the most important criteria in the end to keep the attractiveness high, as is the case with the DFB team.
“Don’t be afraid that there won’t be 10,000 spectators either. It’s just that it’s a different environment. My experience is that as soon as you go into the big stadium, there are significantly more spectators.”agrees Ralf Kellermann, sporting director at top club VfL Wolfsburg.
Hoffenheim’s twenties: the distance between home games is too big
But sustainability and continuity can also be achieved by repeating things regularly. And according to Ralf Zwanziger, head of the women’s football department at TSG Hoffenheim, this is one of the main problems that the clubs cannot solve themselves: “Most of the people who come to our stadium are absolutely thrilled. Also by the sporting performance, but also by what we offer to the families in the area. But if the next home game is only four weeks later, that’s it It’s hard to keep the fans wanting to come back alive.”
A league with only twelve teams is not sufficient for this, Zwanziger continues: “It’s not the only way to get more teams into the league, but at some point it has to end up with 16 clubs and then more home games.”
Euphoria is already palpable
The resulting euphoria in the clubs is definitely noticeable. “There are more and more ticket requests for the first home game”, tells Zwenziger. “There have always been many inquiries at our girls’ camp, which we offer, but this has increased even more in the last few days”, reports the sporting director of newly promoted SV Meppen, Maria Reisinger. In general, however, one is well positioned in the youth field as a Bundesliga club, there are problems with the smaller clubs.
Clubs: let girls play with boys too
The other club representatives also report the same thing to the sports show. “Now it has to be broader, more grassroots. But people have to be inspired by us so that they feel like playing. But the clubs have to let girls play with boys, for example, just to increase the offer“, says Reisinger. The representatives also agree on this point.
More TV exposure, more money
Of course, the television presence also plays a decisive role. “Of course, because of the great odds, you’re hoping that something will happen when you bid for women’s football. It also has to go financially.”, says Zwenziger. In the sports show there will always be cuts and live games this season, such as that between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Wolfsburg on the second day of the game (September 24/5:55 p.m.), and some state broadcasters will also be broadcasting games again and again. The audiovisual media rights have been put out to tender for the 2023/24 to 2026/27 seasons.
Meppens Reisinger: Everyone is in demand
Whether it’s through a broader base with better structures, more stadium visitors through a more attractive supporting program and good sporting performances, more television viewers through more attractive marketing or more money through more lucrative contracts: About the potential that the European Championship has created for German women’s soccer and the Bundesliga teams , all clubs agree. But now it has to be used. “Of course, the associations also have to do something, it has to go hand in hand. But you have to try to take it with you as a club and that starts with each individual. Whether it’s a small club or a Bundesliga club.”summarizes Reisinger.