TOP Oss plays Friday evening at FC Dordrecht. That promises to be a special match, but not necessarily because of the football game. The home club will hold the first climate-neutral match in Dutch professional football. That means vegan frikandellen for the supporters and that the players take a cold shower afterwards.
The football club from Oss will play its last game of the season with a green touch on Friday evening. FC Dordrecht pulls out all the stops to make the match as environmentally friendly as possible.
Electric transport
Jack van Lieshout, general manager of TOP Oss: “As board, we drive to the stadium in an electric bus, just like the referees. The players are brought in our players bus that already runs on biodiesel.”
Oss supporters who want to see the away game should also comply with the rules. A large supporters bus that runs on climate-neutral fuel did not fill the club.
Leon Vlemmings, innovation manager at FC Dordrecht: “Supporters come to the station by train and are then taken to the stadium in seven electric vans.”
Charging stations and robotic lawnmower
Anyone who thinks to park a petrol car in front of the door will be sent away. There are charging stations for electric cars in the parking lot. The grass is mowed with an electric robotic lawnmower.
In the stadium, spectators drink from reusable cups and the heat burners remain off to reduce gas consumption. The players have to take a cold shower after a game.
There are food trucks with a special delicacy. The supporters association of the home club has put a special vegetarian frikandel with a green sauce on the menu.
Mixed reactions
Both football clubs are very enthusiastic, as are a large part of the supporters. Never before has a match in Dutch professional football been climate neutral.
Still, some of the supporters think it’s an exaggerated action. “Don’t get much crazier,” someone wrote on Twitter.
Football fans don’t have to worry that it will forever be mandatory to come to the stadium with an electric car. Friday’s game is one challenges for the football club, local entrepreneurs and the municipality of Dordrecht. There will be no sequel for now.