While the latest news on the state of the German Bundesliga fan scene is available over on Bulinews, our work in catching up with all the backlogged hot-sheets continues over here on the profile website. As one can see, we’ve quite the ways to go! Never fear. All the glory of the best footballing fans the world over shall be chronicled here in the full-color re-posts.
We reported upon “the plans for fans” ahead of 2021/22 campaign’s 22nd round. After that, however, some unfortunate circumstances left us unable to pick the topic back up again until a catchall column detailed the attendance figures from matchday 22 through matchday 25.
There shall be a little repetition of rhetoric in the re-posts to come, but every last match attended by Bundesliga supporters is still chronicled individually. At least the extra text ensures that not a single quality picture shall be wasted!
Enjoy!
Bundesliga Fan Scene Report–Round 25
Certain recent circumstances precluded us from publishing our regular feature on the German footballing fan scene here on Bulinews. It is such that, having last left off with the top-tier “plans for fans” ahead of the current campaign’s 22nd round, we’ve a bit of catching up to do. This piece does just that. We’re pleased to report on the attendance figures for the last four Bundesliga matchdays as our column chronicling the state of fan return in the Bundesrepublik.
The writer personally wishes to assure all those associated with German football fandom that, despite the fact that some situational occurrences led to this column taking a month-long hiatus, those who support football in the Bundesrepublik have not been forgotten. On the contrary. Every last individual is both valued and treasured. With the eyes of the world now focused on the conflict in Ukraine, one counts on the politically-oriented ultras of all clubs to turn up in force in all of the country’s footballing temples and make certain that their voices are heard before the global broadcast cameras.
The general purpose of this particular column has always revolved around a sincere desire to report upon what most German football watchers consider to be the Bundesliga’s most precious asset. In the service of paying adequate tribute to football’s best fan scene, the column seeks to be as thorough as possible. All those who turned out in person over the last month deserve to be recognized in some way. Accordingly, we shall publish figures for all 35 backlogged fixtures since the last column.
Our “Bundesliga Fans” feature resumes with some formatting changes. Unlike in columns past, we will no longer list the public health figures associated with the ongoing pandemic. Evidence strongly suggests that COVID no longer poses a serious risk to local intensive care occupancy rates. With this issue no longer a major societal challenge, the time has come to move on. As we leave it behind, it’s worth noting that keeping hospitals clear remained the primary issue driving restrictions over the last 24 months.
Those still bitter about the inconveniences they were forced to deal with should know that these measures did save countless lives. By tolerating and working one’s way through burdensome and arduous constraints, all citizens who made sacrifices for the more vulnerable were heroes in their own small way. Though none of us were immune to griping and complaints throughout this two-year-long upheaval, there were those who did nothing more than selfishly moan about themselves. Anyone who put the needs of others above their own for a time during this deserve to accord themselves credit.
Matchday 25 Attendance Figures
Four of eight fixtures sell out
While public life in the Bundesrepublik may be steadily emerging from the COVID restrictions of the past two years, we received a grim reminder that the problems associated with this multi-year public health challenge would continue to plague football for the foreseeable future. Mainz-Dortmund had to be postponed due to an infection cluster in Bo Svensson’s squad.
The coming matchday will also feature only eight fixtures after Mainz obtained another postponement against Augsburg. So long as the DFL retains testing and quarantine protocols for players, we shall very likely see further postponements before the season is out. Football shall continue to grapple with COVID until league officials deem it no longer relevant to test players.
When that day will come is anyone’s guess. Even if football attains a 100 percent vaccination rate, there remains a risk to allowing infected players onto the pitch. As a business, football can’t accept responsibility for potentially spreading a virus carrying potentially long-term implications for the health of its employees; no matter how small. It might be years before we see players forgoing bi-weekly tests.
Matchday 25 thus proceeded without a full docket of matches. Bielefeld and Bochum didn’t fully fill their stands. Leipzig came within a few dozen tickets of reaching their full allotment. Wolfsburg drew a relatively large crowd when one considers their normal attendance patters, but still attracted far fewer live spectators than were allowed.
FC Augsburg (at) Arminia Bielefeld
Planned capacity = 25,000 (91.5%)
Attendance = 19,460 (77.8%)
One misses them already.
Two pandemic-riddled seasons weren’t nearly enough.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (at) FC Bayern München
Planned capacity = 25,000 (33.3%)
Attendance = 25,000 (sold-out)
Symbolism has its aesthetic advantages.
…though follow-through obviously counts for more. Sigh. One day football will be enough. We’ll take our games above all the other shite.
SC Freiburg (at) RB Leipzig
Planned capacity = 25,000 (53.1%)
Attendance = 24,758 (99.03%)
Ja, bitte schön Schiri.
Ohne Diskussion. Rot.
FC Union Berlin (at) VfL Wolfsburg
Planned capacity = 20,000 (66.6%)
Attendance = 15,703 (78.5%)
Nice fashion of the VW logo into a peace sign.
The ultras play along as well.
Eintracht Frankfurt (at) Hertha BSC
Planned capacity = 25,000 (33.5%)
Attendance = 25,000 (sold-out)
All we’re missing here is a backwards “R”.
For some reason, I always thought there was one in the Russian word pronounced “MIR”.
Man, is Cyrillic difficult.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth (at) VfL Bochum
Planned capacity = 25,000 (90.6%)
Attendance = 19,800 (79.2%)
Perfect Saturday afternoon in the bleachers.
Though I must admit, I’m not sure what’s going on here.
Errrrmmm. I know the letters. Trying really hard to make a word out of it.
Borussia Mönchengladbach (at) VfB Stuttgart
Planned capacity = 25,000 (41.4%)
Attendance = 25,000 (sold-out)
This kid has it spelled out neatly.
Symmetrical and everything.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (at) FC Köln
Planned capacity = 37,500 (75.0%)
Attendance = 37,500 (sold-out)
Love it.
Köln always comes through.
Thanks so much for reading!
You can occasionally catch Peter on twitter, @ViceytheSS.
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All columns debut on Bulinews before appearing on Peter’s website later in the week.