[Football] German ultras protest Monday night games

[Postman Pat]

Eintracht Frankfurt fans left part of their ground empty and displayed banners in protest at Monday matches in their Bundesliga loss by Union Berlin.

There have been numerous protests against Monday night matches in the Bundesliga since they were introduced in 2017-18.

The German football league (DFL) has already announced Monday games will be scrapped from 2021-22.

A statement issued by several leading fan groups read: "Our message to club representatives and the DFL is clear: No more Monday games!"

It added the ongoing protests were aimed at creating "a football for fans and not for financial gain".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51623192

 

[peterward]

Eintracht Frankfurt fans left part of their ground empty and displayed banners in protest at Monday matches in their Bundesliga loss by Union Berlin.

There have been numerous protests against Monday night matches in the Bundesliga since they were introduced in 2017-18.

The German football league (DFL) has already announced Monday games will be scrapped from 2021-22.

A statement issued by several leading fan groups read: "Our message to club representatives and the DFL is clear: No more Monday games!"

It added the ongoing protests were aimed at creating "a football for fans and not for financial gain".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51623192

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It's a double edged sword. On one hand it's easy to agree with fans. On the other being flexible for TV will bring in bigger revenues, which attracts better players which is what makes the PL and La Liga the 2 best on earth. The German league is good but it will never equal the premier League in revenue if it restricts TV. Pick your poison.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

There's a bit of vital information missing there: what was the situation before they introduced Monday night games? 100% weekend games presumably. If they feel hard done by, they really REALLY wouldn't like the Championship. Reckon we must have turned out on all seven days of the week during our time there. Really wouldn't want to be doing it again

 

[blue-shifted]

Surely the point in all this is that we don't have to accept any old crap the football authorities give us. If we unite and then act in a disciplined way, then our point of view will be taken into account.

Unfortunately we don't have a very good record of doing this.

 

[stewart12]

I imagine German clubs have a higher % of their income in match day revenue so several thousand fans boycotting a game does actually impact on them and forces them to take notice

Over here, Premier League clubs couldn't really care less if fans don't turn up as match day revenue isn't that important- sure, in the long term if crowds dwindle it may have an impact of tv revenue (if people in China/wherever are seeing empty seats the 'image' of the premier league may take a hit), but in the short term it wouldn't make a huge difference.....Now if everyone cancelled their Sky/BT sport subscriptions that would be a different story

 

[GT49er]

I imagine German clubs have a higher % of their income in match day revenue so several thousand fans boycotting a game does actually impact on them and forces them to take notice

Over here, Premier League clubs couldn't really care less if fans don't turn up as match day revenue isn't that important.

Sadly, that is exactly the case.

Now if everyone cancelled their Sky/BT sport subscriptions that would be a different story

Not even sure if that would work (not that it would happen anyway!) - Sky might take a bit of a hit from its UK subscribers, but globally I don't think it would cause them enough grief to change.

 

[Postman Pat]

I imagine German clubs have a higher % of their income in match day revenue so several thousand fans boycotting a game does actually impact on them and forces them to take notice

Over here, Premier League clubs couldn't really care less if fans don't turn up as match day revenue isn't that important- sure, in the long term if crowds dwindle it may have an impact of tv revenue (if people in China/wherever are seeing empty seats the 'image' of the premier league may take a hit), but in the short term it wouldn't make a huge difference.....Now if everyone cancelled their Sky/BT sport subscriptions that would be a different story

I guess the question is would there be the same appeal for a Premier League game where there was no atmosphere because there were 'no' fans.

I do believe that fans have been able to cause change at club level, Newcastle apart, but they can't organise a mass protest properly as they are not united. But we haven't seen much on a national scale yet. E.G. would the North Stand and Liverpool fans both agree to leave on 40 mins and not return until 50 mins when they play us to protest the game moving to a Monday night? I highly doubt it, and then to have that at every Friday night or Monday night game in the EPL?

Leeds have been most vocal about games being moved about all over the place, but other than a few chants, have they actually done anything to force change?

 

[amexer]

I went to watch Shalke before Christmas and our tickets were 24euros. With TV money it is a joke what our tickets cost.. My brother was here for Chelsea game and his ticket cost £56. The only way those at top would do anything is if they thought people wouldnt turn up. What is needed is for majority not to attend on one date but am afraid it wont happen.

 

[FatSuperman]

In the long term if crowds dwindle it may have an impact of tv revenue (if people in China/wherever are seeing empty seats the 'image' of the premier league may take a hit), but in the short term it wouldn't make a huge difference.

It wouldn’t take them long to stitch in some very convincing looking crowds into the broadcasts. The canned audio ‘atmosphere’ even easier.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

I might be wrong, but in the U.K. isn’t the TV fee that clubs receive for having a home game televised live partly to compensate for the likelihood/possibility of a reduced attendance?

I’m somewhat surprised that the Bundesliga has bowed to the pressure from matchgoing fans. Thousands of fans have seemingly restored their position, but denied millions of others the opportunity to view a live game on a Monday. Personally, I’m happy to suffer going to one Monday game a season if it means live Monday night football. Even if it is a PITA.

 

[Blue3]

It's a double edged sword. On one hand it's easy to agree with fans. On the other being flexible for TV will bring in bigger revenues, which attracts better players which is what makes the PL and La Liga the 2 best on earth. The German league is good but it will never equal the premier League in revenue if it restricts TV. Pick your poison.

Money is not everything football is far to much about money and so little about the fans (customer) I hate so much midweek football and would be happy for games to revert to Saturday's 15:00 I would also like to see VAR gone along with the new goal kick rules neither have added anything to the game

 

[el punal]

Surely the point in all this is that we don't have to accept any old crap the football authorities give us. If we unite and then act in a disciplined way, then our point of view will be taken into account.

Unfortunately we don't have a very good record of doing this.

It’s not that we don’t have a very good record, it’s a fact that a fans protest in this situation is irrelevant. A survey was done recently about PL clubs revenue. High, very high, on the list is TV income which hugely outstrips monies gained from spectator attendance. Unsavoury as it is to us committed fans we just have to suck it up.

The last time there was a major fans protest was when Man City fans were being charged £65 to watch their team play away at Arsenal. The Premier League then introduced a ceiling of £30 for away fans at all PL games.

 

[father_and_son]

E.G. would the North Stand and Liverpool fans both agree to leave on 40 mins and not return until 50 mins when they play us to protest the game moving to a Monday night?

Happens every game based on the number of people pushing past me every week. What have we been protesting so far?

 

[BNthree]

Could you imagine the AMEX stewards allowing that banner to be left in place like that? Or even let it into the stadium in the first place? They'd be all over it in seconds. Add in how low German ticket prices are and the German fans don't know how good they've got it.

 

[Denis]

Happens every game based on the number of people pushing past me every week. What have we been protesting so far?

Drives me mad, I’m in west lower, there seems to be quite a few kids near me. Up and down, up and down, everyone has to stand up to let them pass. They must have the bladders of old men! The men aren’t much better!

 

[SAC]

Surely the point in all this is that we don't have to accept any old crap the football authorities give us. If we unite and then act in a disciplined way, then our point of view will be taken into account.

Unfortunately we don't have a very good record of doing this.

Well said. Too many people are happy to accept any old shi'te that is chucked at them.

 

[Turkey]

I went to watch Shalke before Christmas and our tickets were 24euros. With TV money it is a joke what our tickets cost.. My brother was here for Chelsea game and his ticket cost £56. The only way those at top would do anything is if they thought people wouldnt turn up. What is needed is for majority not to attend on one date but am afraid it wont happen.

To be fair to us with a North Stand season ticket you'd be wasting £29 if you missed a game? The equivalent ticket at Frankfurt is £9 a game. Probably a bit easier to write off £9, especially when mid-table unlikely to qualify for Europe or worried about the drop.

 

[Stat Brother]

You need look no further than Newcastle United FC.

Their fans despite the owner.
They are constantly moaning about their manager.
They loathe the 'lack of investment'.
It's a constant stream of protests and marches (from the nearest pub to the ground)


Yet 50,000 still turn up every other week, in their replica shirts buying pies and pints.


They could have got rid of Ashley inside 6 months and still can if that's what they really want.

 

[blue-shifted]

You need look no further than Newcastle United FC.

Their fans despite the owner.
They are constantly moaning about their manager.
They loathe the 'lack of investment'.
It's a constant stream of protests and marches (from the nearest pub to the ground)


Yet 50,000 still turn up every other week, in their replica shirts buying pies and pints.


They could have got rid of Ashley inside 6 months and still can if that's what they really want.

Not if there isn't anyone who wants to buy Newcastle United. The only effect of the mass protest you suggest would be to reduce their attractiveness to a potential buyer

 

[Stat Brother]

Not if there isn't anyone who wants to buy Newcastle United. The only effect of the mass protest you suggest would be to reduce their attractiveness to a potential buyer

I don't see it that way in the slightest.

The only reason Ashley hasn't sold up is because he doesn't have the desire to sell.
10 to 15 games played in an empty stadium and Ashley would be gone.
By then it wouldn't just be the fans bring pressure on him it would be the Premier League and 19 other owners.

The man has only one guiding principle and that's money.

The Newcastle fans have never laid a glove on Ashley, all they've actually done is feed his power ego.