Fortuna Düsseldorf wants to revolutionize football with free entry for everyone. The concept is exciting, but also raises some questions.
“Stadium Revolution”, “World Sensation”, “football-Holiday”: The reactions went wild. When Alexander Jobst finally announced the spectacular ticket plans from Fortuna Dusseldorf explained in more detail, the CEO also chose big words. “We’re opening up football for everyone,” announced Jobst, causing a real bang in the scene.
Free entry to home games
The second division team wants to grant all spectators free entry to its home games in the future and is thus taking a path that is unique in the world. “We are not the better people or benefactors,” emphasized sporting director Klaus Allofs: “We have clear goals: we want to make Fortuna stronger.”
Fortuna fans wave small flags in the stadium
The project called “Fortuna for everyone” should also be understood as a social commitment in the city of Düsseldorf. No less than a “football revolution” was promised to him when the plans were first presented to him, reported Düsseldorf’s Mayor Stephan Keller. A dozen camera teams and almost 40 media representatives gathered in the small press room in the Düsseldorf Arena on Wednesday afternoon to find out the background to the project.
Pilot phase in the coming season
A lot is still unclear, but one thing is certain: the project will be implemented in a pilot phase next season with at least three games in their own stadium. In the season after next, according to the vision, all home games should then be “free”. “When we finally give 17 games free entry depends on how things develop. We have now laid the foundation,” said CFO Arnd Hovemann. That means more donors are needed. The plan provides that the lost income will be absorbed by sponsors.
According to Jobst, three companies and the Common Goal initiative are behind the new project. Accordingly, Fortuna will receive an “economic foundation” of around 45 million euros for the next five years. The future sponsoring income generated by the new project is to be distributed according to a specific formula. In addition to investments in the professional squad, 20 percent should flow into young people and women’s football. A further 20 percent is earmarked for the digital infrastructure and the arena, in which EM games will also take place in 2024.
With ten percent, mass sport in the city and sustainability projects are to be funded. Above all, however, the professional department should benefit. “We want to present Fortuna fans with top-flight football again. It’s what drives us to be able to play with the big players again,” Allofs said. There could not have been a “keep it up”. “The scissors kept getting wider and wider.” So, the income went down and the expenses went up.
1. FC Köln rule out the “Düsseldorf model”.
Many Bundesliga clubs initially did not want to comment on the plans when asked – and if they did, then it was said that the situation was being followed with interest. 1. FC Köln ruled out a similarly radical approach: “Without the ticket income from our great fans”, it would not be possible to finance professional football in Cologne, said Managing Director Markus Rejek.
“We are looking forward to Düsseldorf with excitement and interest. We are very positive about innovative ideas that enable even more fans to have an emotional stadium experience,” said Rejek, but also noted: “It remains to be seen how the campaign will develop and whether it will too can be financed over a period longer than three home games.”
TSG Hoffenheim responded with praise, but also with a small dig. “This is undoubtedly an interesting, creative and not least headline-grabbing approach by the colleagues from Düsseldorf,” said Frank Briel, managing director of the North Baden Bundesliga soccer team. “There are numerous aspects to consider during implementation,” said Briel. “In this respect, we will closely monitor the Fortuna test and compare it with our own ideas that we have developed in terms of ticketing.”
It is also clear that if Fortuna’s plan is successful, it will put the other 35 professional clubs under pressure to follow the example of the two-time cup winner. “My cell phone exploded,” reported Jobst about the first reactions to the project. He didn’t want to go into detail about it.
“Our curve” welcomes the project
The German Football League (DFL) was involved in the plans from the start. The fan alliance “Unsere KURK” evaluates the plans positively – and warns at the same time. “We’ve been of the opinion for years that football should be for everyone. Of course it’s also about ticket prices.
According to the current status of the facts, Fortuna’s idea is therefore to be welcomed,” spokesman Thomas Kessen told SID. It remains to be seen “whether and what influence sponsors will get from the commitment.” It’s also a shame “that the idea is created by a club , whose stadium is rarely full”. The average attendance in the current second division season is around 29,000. Most recently, the arena was sold out for the home game against Hamburger SV on March 31 with 52,200 visitors.
