Mith the Danish national team, Mads Mensah became Olympic and world champion. He was also German champion in the Rhein-Neckar Löwen jersey. On Wednesday evening, his next wish came true: “Now I’m finally a SG Flensburg-Handewitt player with all the trimmings,” said Mensah beaming. “We’ve been waiting for this for so long. That carried us. I always want that now! “
Mensah moved from Mannheim to SG in the summer of 2020. Since then, he has only known games for the North Germans in front of a very small number of spectators – or in front of empty stands. This drought has now ended. 5500 fans occupied the ranks of the “Flens” arena. Even the notorious standing grandstand was well filled. Those who were vaccinated, recovered and tested (3 G) were admitted. After very restrained ticket sales this season – in the Champions League, barely more than 1,500 people had lost their way into the hall – this time the Flensburg Arena reported: sold out according to the currently applicable rules. “Hell North is back,” said coach Maik Machulla.
Impressed by the setting
The roar and frenzy of the stands carried the SG, which had started the season so disappointingly, to a safe start-finish victory against the Füchse Berlin. So far unbeaten, the Berliners looked impressed by the backdrop. The fact that they went off lightly at 23:28 was due to the fact that the Flensburg team shifted down a gear from the 50th minute. In between they had led by nine goals – and thanks to many saves by goalkeeper Benjamin Burić, they brought the hall to a boil. While the Füchse will be served the next difficult task at the table leaders SC Magdeburg on Saturday, Flensburg wants to celebrate the next home game against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen and stay tuned in the fight for the title.
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It was more than two points in this top game. There were serious doubts on the part of the Handball Bundesliga (HBL) as to whether the spectators would return under the roof with the same strength as in pre-pandemic times. There was only speculation about the reasons for staying away. More effort when buying tickets, uncomfortable sitting in a hall, queuing at the entrance – the carefree fun of yore is gone
In any case, the start of the season has shown that the managers’ hopes for hungry fans have not been fulfilled: the popularity of a sport like handball was tepid, because ticket income accounts for up to 40 percent of the annual budget. “We have to fight for every spectator,” said the Flensburg managing director Dierk Schmäschke.
With the pictures from the “Flens” arena in mind, one hopes at all locations that in view of the increasing number of infections and numerous breakthroughs in vaccination, the clubs will not face any new, old restrictions. In Flensburg, the incidence is 82.3, and with the 3 G editions, 5,500 fans felt safe enough on Wednesday evening to sit in the hall – without a mask being required, by the way.
THW Kiel has reintroduced this for its 9,000 approved viewers. Preventive, as they say. The 3-G rule also applies at the THW. However, the 2-G version should also tend to prevail in professional handball, as HBL President Uwe Schwenker said.
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